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How fast your stimulus check arrives depends on 3 main things. Here's when you could expect it

Americans have been hit hard this week, from new jobless claims rising (PDF) to a severe freeze that's shut off heat and water in some areas, delaying COVID-19 vaccination for millions. Now passing a new $1.9 trillion stimulus package, and the third stimulus check for up to $1,400 per person included in it, has become even more urgent.

We know the House of Representatives plans to pass the bill by the end of February, barreling it past Republican opposition on its way through the Senate and onto President Joe Biden's desk by the middle of March. Even that deadline to approve a new stimulus check could be difficult to meet, with the timeline potentially sloshing over into the following week if there's a disagreement over details contained in the bill. The House Budget Committee will begin its markup of the bill on Feb. 22.

The timeline for passing a bill is just one piece of the puzzle for when you could personally see your next stimulus check. Another is how long it could take the IRS to begin calculating the stimulus payments, and a third is which payment group you'd be in to receive it. Below, we map out possible dates and explore questions about the arrival of a third check during 2020 tax season, so read on for more details. This story was recently updated.

Stimulus payment timeline: The important dates to keep an eye on
The House of Representatives is expected to pass the first iteration of the new stimulus package by next weekend, before sending it over to the Senate. There, it could pick up amendments before passing (which is expected to happen like this) before the House votes again and it's sent to Biden to sign.

Though we can't say for sure when a bill would pass, we have a pretty good idea if all goes according to plan. We also suggest dates if negotiations slip a week while finalizing the bill.

The chart below also suggests when the IRS could potentially start sending the next check to different payment groups (direct deposit, physical checks and EIP cards), based on how quickly it turned around the previous check. However, the IRS is also dealing with tax returns, and there's a new treasury secretary, Janet Yellen, at the helm. It could take weeks for the IRS to process every group's funds, so consider these dates a starting point, and read on for more details. We'll refresh these dates as the situation evolves.

Since the third stimulus check is likely to drop in the middle of tax season (taxes are due April 15), the IRS may have to calculate your total based on the most recent tax filing it has. That would be your 2020 taxes if you file early, or 2019 if the check is ready before your tax return is. This could also disqualify some from getting a third stimulus payment. (Learn more about some of the stimulus check exceptions and catches here.)

If you're owed money, you might have to wait a year to claim it, until you file your 2021 taxes in 2022, according to the latest proposal.

By mid-March, tens of millions of Americans may have already received their tax refunds, which could make it tricky for the IRS to straighten out problems or redact refunds after issuing.

Source: https://www.cnet.com/news/stimulus-checks-and-child-support-what-to-know-about-a-new-payment-and-the-last-one/

Looks like lots of red tape to me!