The IRS Is Sending Stimulus Checks to Dead People

"Dad got his stimulus check of $1200. He died in 2018."

Dead Man's Treasure

The U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is in the process of handing out $290 billion in cash payments to many residents as part of the $2 trillion CARES Act stimulus bill, to aid those in need during the ongoing pandemic.

But for a number of recipients, the money is coming in far too late — according to USA Today, some stimulus checks are going out to the deceased.

"Ok this is insane, but just the tip of the iceberg," representative Thomas Massie (R-KY) tweeted on Wednesday, with a screenshot of a text message that read "Dad got his stimulus check of $1200. He died in 2018."

Actually Happened

Massie was able to "confirm this actually just happened" via a phone call.

"We’re aware of all the survivor-related questions and we’re still working that issue," IRS spokesman Eric Smith said in a statement.

It's unclear how many deceased people have gotten a check for $1,200 in the mail.

Delayed Stats

It's not the first time dead Americans have received funds from the government. The government sent out $18 million to deceased recipients as part of a $13 billion Obama-era stimulus package, according to CNBC.

Experts believe the checks ended up being sent to the deceased because of delayed state death records that can sometimes take months or longer to be received by the Social Security Administration.

READ MORE: IRS sends coronavirus stimulus checks to dead people [CNBC]

More on the stimulus package: Congress Proposes Paying Americans $2,000 Per Month