IRS $1,390 Direct Deposit in November? What’s Real and What’s Just a Rumor

If you’ve scrolled through Facebook or TikTok this week, you’ve probably seen the claim: a $1,390 relief payment from the IRS is supposedly landing in Americans’ bank accounts this November. Some posts even include charts, payout dates, and screenshots of fake “IRS portals.”

It’s easy to see why people are hopeful — inflation is still squeezing budgets, and the idea of another no-strings-attached federal payment feels like déjà vu from the pandemic stimulus era. But before you start refreshing your bank app, let’s separate fact from fiction.

The Buzz Around the $1,390 “IRS Relief Payment”

According to viral posts, the IRS is preparing a nationwide $1,390 direct deposit aimed at helping Americans cope with high living costs. The so-called program, they claim, would roll out in early to mid-November 2025, mirroring the structure of earlier Economic Impact Payments.

Here’s what these unverified claims allege:

Category	Eligibility	Payment Method	Timeline
Taxpayers below income limits	Full $1,390	Direct deposit	Nov 3–10, 2025
Higher-income taxpayers	Partial (phased out)	Direct deposit	Nov 7–14, 2025
Non-filers (SSI, VA, SSA)	Automatic payment	Same account as benefits	Mid-November 2025
No direct deposit info	Paper check or debit card	Late November 2025

Posts also claim a new “Get My Payment” portal would open September 30, 2025, allowing taxpayers to track their payment status — a callback to the IRS website used during the 2020–2021 COVID relief checks.

Sounds familiar? That’s because it borrows language directly from legitimate past programs. But there’s one key problem: none of this has been confirmed by any official government source.

Why People Believe It

The rumor feels believable because the mechanics sound legitimate — direct deposit, phased income tiers, and automatic processing for SSI or VA recipients.

Plus, the timing makes sense: inflation is still sticky, housing costs remain high, and Congress has been under pressure to deliver middle-class relief ahead of the 2026 election cycle.

The average household grocery bill is up nearly 18% from pre-pandemic levels, and rents have climbed over 25% since 2019, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. A $1,390 check would cover a couple months of utilities or groceries for many families.

Unfortunately, as comforting as it sounds, the numbers don’t match reality.

What the IRS Actually Says

As of November 21, 2025, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the U.S. Department of the Treasury have released no official statements about any new national relief payment.

Here’s what their verified communications show instead:

• IRS Newsroom: Current updates focus on tax filing, disaster relief extensions, and the Direct File pilot program, not cash payments.
• Treasury Newsroom: No mention of new stimulus, rebates, or automatic direct deposits.
• Congressional Record: No legislation authorizing a $1,390 nationwide payment has been introduced or passed.

In short: there’s no approved funding or law behind the rumor.

If you search the IRS’s legitimate site — irs.gov/newsroom — or the Treasury’s home.treasury.gov/news, you’ll find zero references to a $1,390 payment.

Why These Rumors Keep Coming Back

Fake “IRS payment” posts pop up every few months, usually recycling the same formula: a specific dollar amount, an exact payout date, and references to “automatic direct deposits.”

The pattern often spikes around tax season or times of economic stress, and these viral claims often link to phishing pages that mimic IRS portals to steal personal information.

The original Economic Impact Payments (EIPs) from 2020–2021 — the real pandemic stimulus checks — were authorized through Congressional acts and publicly announced by both the IRS and the White House. If a new payment were ever approved, it would follow the same legal process and receive wall-to-wall coverage from major outlets like Reuters, Bloomberg, and The Associated Press.

That hasn’t happened this time.

Fact Check: The $1,390 IRS Relief Payment

Claim	Verdict	Details
IRS will issue $1,390 relief payments in November 2025	False / Unconfirmed	No federal authorization or IRS announcement exists.
Payment eligibility based on 2024 tax returns	False	No such program tied to 2024 filings.
“Get My Payment” portal launching Sept 30, 2025	False	The real portal was deactivated after the 2021 EIPs.
IRS/Treasury confirming the program	False	Neither agency has released any related press statements.
Major media coverage	None	No credible financial or news outlets have reported it.

Conclusion: The $1,390 IRS payment rumor is not legitimate. It’s likely a misinformation chain designed to harvest clicks or personal data.

What To Do If You See These Claims

1. Go straight to the source.
   Always confirm news at IRS.gov or home.treasury.gov.
2. Ignore links in texts or social media.
   Scammers often disguise fake IRS pages to steal Social Security numbers or banking details.
3. Check major news outlets.
   Real government payments make headlines in every mainstream financial publication.
4. Use your IRS online account.
   You can verify any legitimate deposit or refund status at IRS.gov/account.
5. Report scams.
   If you receive suspicious emails or texts about “IRS payments,” forward them to [email protected].

The Bigger Picture

While there’s no $1,390 relief check on the way, conversations in Washington about targeted tax credits, inflation rebates, and child tax expansion continue. Economists expect some form of fiscal relief debate to resurface in 2026, especially as living costs remain high and election cycles ramp up.

But for now, there is no new IRS direct payment.

As always, if a claim sounds too good to be true — especially one that promises “free money” without legislation — it probably is.

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