This is a public service reminder that it pays to open your mail. You may have heard that the US Treasury has issued four million prepaid debit cards instead of paper checks for stimulus payments. You may even have received one and, like many people who were expecting a check from the IRS, been confused and/or skeptical. We just hope you didn’t mistake it for junkmail.
It has been reported to us from clients who have received the debit cards that they arrive in a #10 standard white business envelope with first-class postage (not bulk mail). The return address is from Money Network Cardholder Services in Omaha, NE. Inside is a blue Visa debit card with white stars on it.There is a small sheet of paper enclosed that includes the blue and gold Treasury seal with Department of Treasury (see below). The insert reads: “This prepaid debit card is being sent to you on behalf of the US Department of the Treasury in place of a paper check. This card contains the money you are receiving as result of the Corona Aid Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). For additional information on Economic Impact Payments visit irs.gov/eip. This is safe, convenient, and secure.”
The envelope also comes with instructions on how to activate your card, which you can also find here: https://www.eipcard.com/ . You will need to register as a new user before you can access the funds. If you received the card and threw it away by mistake, you can request a replacement card by calling MetaBank Customer Service at 1-800-240-8100. this is the same number to check your balance.
IRS has also set up an FAQ page for taxpayers here.
