Direct deposits of $1,200 stimulus checks will start arriving Wednesday with banks alerted tonight which accounts IRS will sent them to - but paper checks for poorest are WEEKS away

Americans who gave their direct deposit information to the Internal Revenue Service will see their $1,200 stimulus checks in their bank accounts on Wednesday. 

But others, who did not give banking information when filing their tax returns, could wait months to see their stimulus dollars. 

The move came the day after official new jobless claims hit 16.8 million and amid increasing signs of economic despair around the country, with food banks reporting record demand. 

Democrats are already suggesting more checks will be needed to keep people afloat. 

The Treasury Department will take the first step Friday in disbursing the millions of dollars in payments by alerting banks to confirm that the money will go into the correct accounts, according to Politico. 

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Americans who gave the IRS their direct deposit information will see their stimulus dollars Wednesday. The plan was negotiated by Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin (right) with President Trump (left) signing the CARES Act into law late last month 

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Checks for the stimulus funds are expected to begin going out in the mail the first week of May, but some Americans could wait months to see their funds 

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Relief needed: This was the scene in Van Nuys, Los Angeles, on Thursday as a food bank distributed food

And then on Monday, the IRS will start processing the payments. 

Politico also reported that on Friday the IRS is expected to announce the launch of an online application called 'Get My Payment' that would allow taxpayers who filed taxes in 2018 or 2019 to submit direct deposit information that would allow an electronic transfer of the funds. 

The web hub would be ready later this month.  

That would cut down on the number of physical paper checks the government would have to produce in order to pay every eligible American their stimulus boost. 

An estimated 100 million Americans  don't have direct deposit. 

That means 5 million checks would be mailed weekly over 20 weeks, Politico's sources said - leaving some Americans empty handed until September, according to the Washington Post. 

Checks are expected to start being mailed beginning the first week of May.  

Still, the poorest Americans may have trouble even if they receive paper checks, if they don't have a checking account in their name.  

The CARES Act, which was signed into law by President Trump late last month, outlined that Americans who made under $75,000 would receive a one-time payment of $1,200. 

Couples who make under $150,000 will receive $2,400, with an extra $500 for each child.  

Smaller amounts of money will be paid out to single Americans who make between $75,000 and $99,000 and joint filers who make between $150,000 and $198,000.  

Single head-of-households with one child who make more than $146,500 will not be eligible for the cash.