Q. I want to estimate my payment. Please explain how it is figured.
A. Essentially, there are two parts to the stimulus payment: a basic amount based on tax liability, filing status or other qualifying factors if there is no tax liability and an additional amount based on whether a qualifying child is reported on the return.
Basic Amount of Payment: Taxpayers who had a net income tax liability will receive a payment, unless they can be claimed as dependents on someone else’s return, are high-income individuals or do not have a valid Social Security Number. The payment is equal to the taxpayer’s net income tax liability, but no more than $600 for a single person or $1,200 for a married couple filing a joint return. The minimum payment is $300 for a single person or $600 for a married couple filing jointly.
People with no net income tax liability will usually get a minimum payment of $300 for a single person or $600 for a married couple filing jointly, as long as they have qualifying income of at least $3,000. To figure your qualifying income, add together the following amounts:
Wages that are reported on Form W-2.
Net self-employment income.
Social Security benefits reported in box 5 of the 2007 Form 1099-SSA, which would have been received in January 2008. People who do not have a Form 1099-SSA may estimate their annual Social Security benefit by taking their monthly benefit and multiplying it by the number of months during the year they received the benefit.
Certain Railroad Retirement benefits reported in box 5 of the 2007 Form 1099-RRB, which recipients would have received in January 2008.
Veterans’ benefits received in 2007, including veterans’ disability compensation and pension or survivors’ benefits received from the Department of Veterans Affairs. People who weren’t required to file a tax return can estimate their annual veterans’ benefits by taking their monthly benefit and multiplying it by the number of months during the year they received the benefit.
Nontaxable combat pay if the taxpayer elects to include it as earned income.
Extra Money for Qualifying Child: Eligible taxpayers who qualify for a payment may receive an additional $300 for each qualifying child. To qualify a child must be under age 17.
Phase Out: The stimulus payment –– both the basic component and the additional funds for qualifying children –– begins to phase out for individuals with adjusted gross incomes (AGI) over $75,000 and married couples who file a joint return with AGI over $150,000. The combined payment is reduced by 5 percent of the income above the AGI thresholds.
All the information and links you need is here - http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=177937,00.html
