Nearly 127,000 stimulus payments from the third round of coronavirus relief have been sent to Americans with incomes higher than the eligibility threshold, according to data released by the IRS.

That means roughly $392.3 million of direct checks went to those with adjusted gross incomes over $200,000 from the latest round of stimulus. So far, the IRS has distributed about 163.5 million stimulus payments since President Joe Biden’s American Rescue Plan act passed in March, worth almost $389.9 billion.

The third round of direct aid granted individuals earning up to $75,000 annually to receive the full stimulus payment amount of $1,400, as well as couples making less than $150,000 annually and heads of households earning up to $112,500. The relief package sends an additional $1,400 per qualifying dependent.

The stimulus payments phased out for individuals with an adjusted gross income of $80,000 or more, as well as couples making $160,000 or more and heads of households earning $120,000 or more.

While it comes as a surprise that people who didn’t qualify for the stimulus checks on the basis of their yearly income still received the federal funds, the IRS could have sent them the money based on their most recent tax returns.

Those with reported incomes in 2019 that were lower than the threshold, making them eligible for the direct payments, could have experienced an increase in their income beyond the stimulus check cap. Although that would make them ineligible for the extra funds, they will not be required to return the payment to the IRS.

Separate agency data released by the IRS regarding the first round of stimulus relief also revealed that more than 1.3 million payments, worth over $1.77 billion, have been rejected, paid back, or not cashed.

The data comes as a slew of congressional Democrats have ramped up pressure on the White House to pass a fourth-round or recurring stimulus payments. The lawmakers argue that the three rounds of direct checks weren’t sufficient enough to help American families and contend that additional payments would prevent 12 million people from entering poverty this year.

“We urge you to include recurring direct payments and automatic unemployment insurance extensions tied to economic conditions in your Build Back Better long-term economic plan,” a group of 21 Senate Democrats wrote in a letter to the president.

Rachel Bucchino is a reporter at the National Interest. Her work has appeared in The Washington Post, U.S. News & World Report, and The Hill.

Image: Reuters