Nearly two weeks after the IRS said it would start issuing federal stimulus payments, dozens of NBC Bay Area viewers tell us they still haven't received any money.
Cynthia in Lakeport wants to know where her money is.
"We have not received our stimulus checks and can't find any information on the internet that answers this question," Cynthia told us via email. "We filed in 2018 and every year previous, and always have automatic deposit. The website from the government doesn't offer any help at all."
Other viewers tell us they get stuck at this screen on the IRS website:
Seeing "Payment Status Not Available" every time they try to use the IRS tools is frustrating taxpayers like Petra in San Jose.
"I am so frustrated with this," Petra told us. "I have tried calling IRS. I get there is no one available to answer the phone; you are redirected to the website. The website is WORTHLESS!"
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The IRS website has been a work in progress. Over the weekend, the agency says it upgraded its systems, first with an enhancement of its new payment locator, called "Get My Payment." It's found at IRS.gov/GetMyPayment.
The IRS says if you've gotten the "Payment Status Not Available" message, please try again; some back-end changes might give you a different result now. An NBC Bay Area producer who had previously been unsuccessful using the old payment lookup tool tried the new one on Monday, and he was able to successfully retrieve his payment information.
Petra also reported on Monday that she, too, was able to use the new-and-improved IRS website, and she believes her money is on the way.
There are many different family scenarios we've seen that can affect how much stimulus money you can expect to receive. Now, the IRS is trying to address the more common ones. This new Frequently Asked Questions page has 32 questions and answers that might help you figure out what to do, and where your money is.
For example, when Louisa in San Francisco asked us about her situation -- the IRS has outdated bank information for her -- this page helped us get her some clarity.
If you are due a payment, keep in mind the IRS will send you a letter by mail within 15 days of issuing the payment. If you never got paid, the letter will provide instructions for what you should do next.
