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Still checking your mail? Why you may have to wait 4 weeks for your 2nd stimulus check

The IRS may show a stimulus check was mailed to you back on Jan. 6, so why haven’t you received it by now?

Many Americans are anxiously waiting for their mail deliveries everyday and wondering when their second stimulus check will arrive.

Editor's note: the video in this story is titled "How to get your stimulus money if you still haven't received it" and it originally aired Jan. 16, 2021

There are only two days in January, excluding Sundays, when holidays will prevent mail delivery.

U.S. Mail 2021 Holidays:

January 1, New Year’s Day
January 18, Martin Luther King Jr. birthday
February 15, Presidents’ Day
May 31, Memorial Day
July 5*, Independence Day (because July 4th is a Sunday)
September 6, Labor Day
October 11, Columbus Day
November 11, Veterans Day
November 25, Thanksgiving Day
December 25, Christmas Day 

Why your mailed stimulus check could take up to four weeks to get to you

WFMY reports that the IRS may show a stimulus check was mailed to you back on Jan. 6, so why haven’t you received it by now?

Before you think about filing your taxes early and claiming the Recovery Rebate Credit because your check hasn’t come in the mail, you may want to wait.

RELATED: How to track the status of your 2nd stimulus check payment

RELATED: When you could get a possible 3rd stimulus payment now that Biden is president?

The IRS regularly updates its site. On Friday, Jan. 15, the IRS added a little something about the mailed stimulus checks under the FAQ page in a question about direct deposit.

Credit: IRS

“GMP (Get My Payment) reflects a date your payment was mailed; it may take up to three to four weeks for you to receive the payment”.

This means it can be three to four weeks before your check shows up. If you had a Jan. 6 mail date, that's Feb. 3.

The IRS doesn't start processing tax returns this year until Feb. 12. You have time to get it in the mail without worrying about if you might have to claim it on taxes.

Still think you need to file your taxes to get all your stimulus money?

For folks who didn't receive all the stimulus money they believe they are eligible for, the next way to get the money is to file taxes. The Recovery Rebate Credit can be found on line 30 on each tax form. 

If you don't normally file taxes, you will need to file taxes to claim this stimulus money. The IRS is making it easy for you to do so, with free e-filing. You can actually e-file now even though the IRS will not start processing returns until Feb. 12.

WFMY contributed to this report

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