It looks like tax rebate checks will be in the mail, but when will they arrive?
Democrats and Republican Congressional leaders reportedly reached agreement on a stimulus package Thursday that includes rebate checks of between $300 and $1,200. Economists say the timing of the checks is crucial; if they come too late, it could drive up inflation.
Rep. Ron Kind (D-WI) agrees, but the IRS may not be capable of getting the checks out quickly. He says the IRS system may not be able to do a quick turnaround on the checks.
While Kind has been told the checks could go out as soon as April, testimony on the Hill this week warned it might take until summer or early fall because of the IRS' "archaic" computer system. Kind says lawmakers also ran into these problems when working on changes to the country's Alternative Minimum Tax, where the IRS said it would take months to process.
As the old saying going goes: necessity is the mother of invention, and Kind thinks changes could be coming. He says any delay may show the need for more oversight into why the IRS is slow to react to changes in policy.
The IRS is not yet commenting when they feel the checks could be realistically dispersed.