Throughout a latest chat amongst half-a-dozen colleagues, the standing of our respective $200 rebate cheques from the Ontario authorities got here up. Out of the group, two of us — myself included — had been nonetheless patiently ready.
That’s when it was identified that we each had one thing in widespread, and fortunately it wasn’t that we spent 2024 in jail — one of many few disqualifiers.
Our commonality was that we had each moved throughout the final 12 months.
The unhealthy information was that we each realized that our cheques had been mailed to our earlier addresses.
The excellent news? It was a fairly simple repair.
Right here’s what to do for those who moved not too long ago and nonetheless haven’t obtained your cheque.
Step 1. Test the standing of your cheque
The province has made it pretty easy to seek out out in case your cheque has been mailed, and the place it was mailed to.
By clicking right here, you possibly can observe your cheque.
You’ll want the next:
an account login
the final 4 digits of your Social Insurance coverage Quantity (SIN)
your date of beginning
the postal code of the mailing handle you utilized in your Canada Income Company (CRA) tax return
Step 2: Replace your handle
If you happen to understand the cheque has gone to your outdated handle, don’t fret. When you replace your handle, the earlier cheque will likely be cancelled and a brand new cheque will likely be despatched to your new handle. It might take six to eight weeks to reach.
Right here’s find out how to replace your handle:
The identical hyperlink used to examine the standing of your cheque will be adopted to alter your handle on-line, or you possibly can name ServiceOntario at 1-833-351-0409 or TTY: 1-888-821-9056
“You cannot update your mailing address for the rebate by visiting a physical ServiceOntario location,” the province says on its web site.
“Address changes may take up to 10 days to show up on your account. Do not submit another address change during that time.”
Are you eligible for the cash?
The place you reside turns into a moot level for those who’re not even eligible to gather the money.
As an example, in case your handle in 2024 was jail, you’re out of luck.
You’re additionally ineligible for those who had been bankrupt final 12 months.
Apart from that, so long as you had been 18 or older on the finish of 2023, had been a resident in Ontario on Dec. 31, 2023, and filed your 2023 Revenue Tax and Profit Return by Dec. 31, 2024, you need to be good to go.
Even for those who died however had been eligible, you possibly can nonetheless move on the money from past the grave. The rebate fee will be made to the deceased individual’s property and will be cashed by the executor.
Based on the province, the rebate is predicted to offer $3 billion in help for about 12.5 million adults and a pair of.5 million youngsters.
Life’s a glitch
There have been a couple of points with the cheques except for monitoring them down and assuring they arrive on the proper handle.
The federal government says it’s “aware of an issue with a small number of cheque deposits due to a technical glitch affecting clearing activities with the bank.”
“If you have been affected, a credit will be issued to your account and any associated charges will be reimbursed.”
In some circumstances the cheques might have been issued within the mistaken title.
“If your cheque is in the wrong name, such as your maiden name, please contact ServiceOntario as soon as possible at 1-833-351-0409 or TTY: 1-888-821-9056,” the provincial web site advises.
“We will reissue a cheque to your updated name within 3 to 4 weeks. Your previously issued cheque will be cancelled.”
And naturally, any time cash is concerned, the scammers will begin circling like sharks.
Principally, if anybody reaches out to you concerning the cheque, it’s a ruse to separate you out of your dough.
“The Government of Ontario will only contact you directly in response to a question or query about the rebate you initiated,” it warns.
The province says it is not going to proactively contact you by textual content, electronic mail, or telephone to signal you up for a rebate program, ask for private data, or give you cash or a reward.
If that’s occurred, you’ve seemingly been focused in a rip-off.
