Hotline helps people waiting on stimulus checks

If you received your stimulus check in mid-April, you may be surprised to learn more than 30 million payments remain in limbo.

Legal Aid of Western Missouri is offering help through its CARES hotline.

NOW TO REBOUNDKANSAS CITY-- OUR COMMITMENT TOHELPING YOU RECOVERFROM THE IMPACT OFCORONAVIRUS.IF YOU RECEIVED YOURSTIMULUS CHECK IN EARLYAPRIL- YOU MAY BESURPRISED TO LEARNMORE THAN 30 MILLIONPAYMENTS REMAIN INLIMBOFOR PEOPLE WAITING ONTHAT MONEY- IT"SHARD TO GET ANSWERS.CONSUMER I-TEAMREPORTER CAT REIDSHARES ONE WAY TO GETHELP.THE STAFF AT LEGAL AIDOF WESTERN MISSOURIARE USED TO TAKINGDIFFICULT CALLSNat pop hotlineTHEIR CARES HOTLINE FORSTIMULUS PAYMENTS- ISUNVEILING ESPECIALLYHEARTBREAKING STORIESJames Boyce/Supervising Attorneyof Consumer Protection UnitWe"ve had more than oneperson who their abusive exspouse got their payment andis withholding it.

There arethings we can do, but it"sall going to take time.

Sowhen you speak to thesepeople, they just have noother optionsTHE HOTLINE LAUNCHEDABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO-AND THERE"S MAJORDEMAND-WITH 500 CALLSSO FARLEGAL AID SAYSTHEY"VE BEEN TOLD143 THOUSANDMISSOURIANS AREWAITING ON PAYMENTSBoyce-I think it"s telling that thepeople who have experiencedthe most delays are thepeople we serve- low incomepeople who don"t havebank accounts, who don;thave a paid tax preparer, whodon"t have the informationor access to the toolsCat Reid-When you call into the hotline,a staff member will ask youseveral questions to figure outif you"re eligible for apayment and what could begoing on with your check.

Thatprocess could involve walkingyou through the get mypayment tool on the IRSwebsite- and troubleshootingfrom there.Boyce-There"s just a lot ofdifferent ways you have to gothrough bolt by bolt to makesure something hasn"tgotten messed up somewhereTHE LEGAL AID CARESHOTLINE CAN ALSO GIVEYOU FREE ADVICE ONUNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITSTHAT NUMBER- 1-800-990-2907