Stimulus Check Payments Status
This page is archived for informational purposes as the IRS is no longer issuing stimulus payments, they cannot be claimed by filing a 2022 Return or any other year, and the stimulus status tool is no longer functioning. See how to file 2020 and 2021 Taxes to claim Stimulus 1, 2, and/or 3.
Stimulus Check Payments and your 2020, 2021 Tax Returns
If you did not receive an Economic Impact Payment - EIP - stimulus 1, 2, and/or stimulus 3 during 2020 or 2021, please read the sections below. These payments were part of separate stimulus bills throughout 2020 and 2021 - know which stimulus payments to report on which tax year return.
Note: The IRS Get My Payment tool will show the status of the most recent stimulus payment. As of November, 2021, it may now show the status of your third stimulus payment or, if owed, your "plus-up" payment - details on this on the third stimulus check page. If you are owed additional stimulus credit after filing your 2020 return, this will now be reflected on the IRS tool. This means that your initial third payment will no longer be shown; instead, you will only see the status and amount of your plus-up payment.
Get an overview here of all stimulus check payments to date.
I received Stimulus 3: Report the exact amount you received as reported on the IRS Letter 1444-C. eFile will ask you this question at the end of preparation. Be sure to read the question carefully and enter the amount you received, not the amount you are missing. If you received $0, enter "0".
Claim Stimulus 3: If you are missing the third stimulus payment, you will need to claim this by filing a 2021 Income Tax Return. Review the following sections or scenarios based on your situation:
- I do not normally file a return: If you do not normally file or have filed a non-filer return in the past, then follow these instructions to file a simplified return with no taxable income to claim your third stimulus payment.
- I will be filing and I did not receive stimulus 3: Follow these instructions to claim the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit. Report the exact amount you may have received - for example, if you only received $1,400 for yourself but did not receive the additional amount for your dependent, report this information and eFile will calculate the amount you are owed.
Claim Stimulus 1 and 2: File a previous year, 2020 return. You can no longer prepare and e-file a 2020 return on eFile.com or anywhere. See this page for back tax resources for 2020 Returns and claim the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit.
Real Life Stimulus Payment Scenarios
Here is a summary of taxpayer related stimulus questions and answers. We will update this section throughout each day.
A: How to track my stimulus payment?
B: Additional stimulus payment lookup option
You may be able to see a processed payment of your stimulus checks via your IRS Account. Steps to Create your IRS Login account.
From inside your IRS account, navigate to Tax Records before clicking on the external GET TRANSCRIPT button. On the new window, select Other as a reason and enter a Customer File Number, if applicable, before pressing the GO button.
Under Account Transcript, select 2021. You will see all deposits and transactions between you and the IRS, including stimulus payments. At the bottom of the page will be a transaction history, including Economic Impact Payments, if applicable.
C: Somebody else claimed my children or dependents incorrectly on his/her 2020 tax return. How do I get the third stimulus payment? See also below the criteria to claim a dependent or child for the additional stimulus payment.
Fact: Disputes between taxpayers on who did and who should have
claimed a dependent can get very complex. Please read the page on what to do when
another person claimed my dependent incorrectly. The dependent dispute is not going to be resolved via a tax return but the procedures outlined on this page. If you do regularly not file a tax return, you will have to file a 2021 tax return in order to claim a dependent. As stated earlier, claiming a dependent on a tax return is not the same as being eligible to claim this dependent.
D: If you were a dependent on a 2020 tax return and did not get the 3rd stimulus payment and will not be a dependent on a 2021 tax return, how will you get the 3rd stimulus payment?
Fact: File your 2021 Return and claim your stimulus payment by identifying yourself as the primary taxpayer. This will allow you to claim the missing stimulus payment that would have been issued in 2021.
E: What you need to do to get the 3rd Stimulus Payment as Social Security income recipient, railroad retiree, or one with veterans’ benefits income, or non-filer.
Fact: Since you generally don't have to file a tax return, you stimulus payment should have sent the same way your benefits, etc. are normally paid. If you, however, did not receive the third stimulus payment, file a 2021 Tax Return and claim or adjust your stimulus payment via the
Recovery Rebate Credit.
F: Can I claim my 3rd Stimulus Payment via my 2021 Tax Return if I have not received any stimulus payments as of January 2022?
Fact: Yes, on your 2021 Tax Return, if you are entitled to it, you can claim Stimulus 3 via the
Rebate Recovery Credit.
G: I didn’t file a 2020 tax return nor a 2020 non-filer return and have not received my 3rd stimulus payment. Am I eligible for this?
Fact: Check your eligibility first:
Third stimulus eligibility. If you are eligible, claim your payments via the
Recovery Rebate Credit when you file a 2021 federal income tax return.
H: Where will the IRS send my stimulus payments?
Fact: Taxpayers with direct deposit information on file with the IRS should have been paid that way. All others will get a check or debit card in the mail. If you DID NOT get payment, claim or adjust the stimulus payments via the
Recovery Rebate Credit option on your 2021 Tax Return due by April 15, 2022. The IRS is no longer sending out these payments; the only wait to claim any of the stimulus checks is by filing a return.
I: Did you receive a Tax Return correction notice CP12?
The EIP payments will ONLY reduce your refund or increase the amount of tax you owe on your 2021 federal income tax return. If you report the incorrect stimulus payment amounts on the Recovery Rebate Credit page on your tax return(s), then the IRS will have adjusted this. See this page for
refund adjustments due to stimulus payments and follow these instructions
CP12 Instructions as needed.
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