What You Need to Know About Offsets, Tax Refunds and Stimulus Checks

When the IRS began issuing the first round of stimulus checks (EIP1) in 2020, I received thousands (yes, really) of emails with related questions. One of the issues that routinely perplexed taxpayers was why stimulus checks might be offset.

As Congress rolled out subsequent stimulus checks (EIP2 and EIP3), the buzz surrounding offsets didn’t become more clear. If anything, taxpayers were more confused because the stimulus check offset rules had changed. To help you sort it out, here’s what you need to know about offsets.

The offset program is not new. It has long been the case that if you ...