90M EIPs disbursed this week

The Treasury Department and IRS said they disbursed roughly 90 million Economic Impact Payments this week.

First Batch: Totaling more than $242 billion, the first tranche of EIPs went through the ACH Network with an official payment date of March 17.

Recipients: The first batch primarily went to eligible taxpayers who provided direct deposit information on their 2019 or 2020 returns, including people who successfully used the IRS Non-Filers tool last year.

Checks: Treasury also mailed roughly 150,000 checks worth approximately $442 million.

Garnishment: Despite ICBA advocacy, the American Rescue Act does not exempt these payments from garnishment, unlike previous EIPs. Banks remain legally required to act on garnishment orders.

CFPB: In a statement, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau encouraged financial institutions and debt collectors to allow stimulus payments to reach consumers. In a blog post, the bureau encouraged consumers to contact their financial institution if they've been subject to garnishment.

Next: Additional batches and payments will be sent in the coming weeks, with the vast majority issued via direct deposit.

Resources: More EIP information is available from ICBA, the IRS, the Federal Reserve, and the federal Get My Payment portal.