Stimulus Check Payments

Note: The IRS is no longer issuing stimulus checks or Economic Impact Payments (EIP) as of December 31, 2021. As such, the IRS Get My Payment page is no longer relevant. You had until May 17, 2024, to claim Stimulus 1 and 2 so this can no longer be claimed. However you have until April 15, 2025 to claim Stimulus 3: get your missing stimulus check by filing a return:

Some states introduced stimulus payments - see below.

Taxapyer-eFiler

Christina at Unsplash@wocintechchat.co

As a result of the Coronavirus Pandemic, the U.S. government launched three stimulus check payments during 2020 and 2021 - there were no payments beyond that.

1. Stimulus Check Payment One - NOTE - this information is for archival purposes only since you can no longer file for the Stimulus 1 and 2 payments: The first Economic Impact Payment as part of the CARES Act or Stimulus Check One was launched in April of 2020.

2. Stimulus Check Payment Two - NOTE - this information is for archival purposes only since you can no longer file for the Stimulus 1 and 2 payments: The COVID-19-related Tax Relief Act of 2020 with Stimulus Check Payment Two was launched in December 2020.

3. Stimulus Check Payment Three: The American Rescue Plan with Stimulus Check Payment Three was launched in March of 2021.

4. Stimulus Check Payment Four: Could there have been a fourth stimulus payment as part of the Build Back Better Plan?

  • The late 2021/early 2022 Stimulus Package had been altered and changed many times but never included a fourth stimulus payment.
  • The plan had been referred to as Build Back Better, American Families Plan, American Jobs Plan, the Democrats' Reconciliation Bill, or simply President Biden's Tax Plan.
  • This plan was never passed - see what could have been a part of it on this page for the fourth stimulus package plan. The IRS has confirmed that they are no longer issuing stimulus checks, and we will likely never see a fourth stimulus payment.

State Stimulus Programs

Many news outlets had stated that there was a fourth stimulus payment. However, there was never a federal fourth stimulus. There were many state programs that could be viewed as a fourth stimulus payment; there were around 20 states who proposed stimulus programs, most of which passed during 2021 and 2022. California's Golden State Stimulus was one of the more well-known programs as there were two parts to it. The table below has the details on state stimulus programs that were available.

State
Stimulus Details
California
Governor Gavin Newsom and the CA government introduced multiple programs following the COVID-19 Pandemic. Two Golden State Stimulus payments (GSS 1 and GSS 2) were issued throughout 2020, 2021, and 2022. CA residents making under $75,000 per year ($150,000 for married couples) could receive up to $600 per person, meaning $1,200 for a married couple and an additional $600 per dependent. GSS 2 paid up to $1,100 ($600 for single). For 2022, CA also offered the CA tax rebate check, which offered $350 per person for a maximum of $1,050 for those making under $75,000 per year.
Colorado
CO residents could claim up to $750 per qualifying person by filing a 2021 Return by October 17, 2022 - married couples could receive $1,500. If you missed this deadline, contact the CO state tax agency to see if they can work with you to get your stimulus payment issued.
Delaware
DE introduced the Delaware Relief Rebate Program, which offered a $300 per person by filing a 2020 Return; residents could file a 2021 Return to get this as well. If you did not file 2020 or 2021 Taxes, you should contact the state to see how to receive this payment.
Florida
The state offered a $450 one-time payment to lower-class families, specifically those who receive either Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Relative/Non-Relative Caregiver Funds, or who have an adoptive or foster child.
Georgia
The state offered one-time payments of $250 for singles, $350 for heads of household, and $500 for married couples. The payments were sent to those who filed a 2020 or 2021 Return; if you did not file and missed the deadline, contact the state to see if you are able to claim this payment.
Hawaii
HI residents could claim $300 for those who made under $100,000 or $100 for those who made over $100,000 on their 2021 Returns ($600 for married couples under $100,000; $200 for those over $200,000). The amounts were per person, so a couple with two dependents could receive up to $1,200. If you did not file a 2021 Return by December 31, 2022, contact the state to learn your options.
Idaho
The state offered $75 per taxpayer and dependent on a filed and accepted 2020 Return. This amount could have also been 12% of their state taxes, whichever was greater (the state of Idaho calculated this).
Illinois
IL residents making under $200,000 a year could have received a $50 payment ($100 for married couples) and an additional $100 per dependent based on their 2021 Returns. Contact the state if you did not file by the deadline.
Indiana
IN offered $125 for residents who filed 2021 Taxes making under $75,000 ($150,000 for married couples). If you missed this deadline, contact the state to see if you are still able to claim this payment by filing late.
Kansas
The state attempted to pass, but never proceeded with, a bill to give KS residents a one-time payment of $250.
Kentucky
The state failed to pass a proposed bill to give KY residents a one-time payment of an amount between $500 and $1,000.
Maine
Based on their 2021 Return, ME residents could receive $850 or $1,700 for married couples if they made under $100,000 ($150,000 for heads of household; $200,00 for couples). If you did not file by the deadline, contact the state to see if you are able to claim this payment.
Massachusetts
MA residents could have received a $250 payment or $500 for couples with incomes between $38,000 and $100,000 ($150,000 for married couples). This was issued based on a 2021 Return - if you did not file, contact the state to see if you are still eligible to claim this.
Minnesota
MN residents could have claimed a one-time payment of $750 through the Frontline Workers Bonus payment. This is for qualified workers (healthcare workers, teachers, etc.) and could have been applied for online - note that this period has passed as it was only from June 8 - July 22, 2022. There is also an appeal process if the state denies your application.
New Jersey
NJ residents could have claimed a $500 payment through the Middle-Class Tax Rebate for families making at least $1 but $150,000 or less; qualifying families also needed to have at least one dependent.  These payments were based on 2020 Returns; if you did not file, contact the state to see your options.
New Mexico
NM residents could have claimed $250 or $500 for couples if they earned under $150,000 and filed a 2021 Return by May 1, 2023. These payments may have came in two payments (for example, a single taxpayer would have gotten two payments of $250, resulting in $500 total; a married couple would have gotten two payments of $500, $1,000 total).
New York
NY residents who earned under $75,000 annually could have claimed a credit of up to $1,050 if they filed their NY return by October 17, 2022. If you did not file your return by the deadline, contact the state to see if you can claim this.
Pennsylvania
PA pushed for a $2,000 stimulus check for residents making under $80,000 annually; this ended up being part of a program to increase the maximum Property Tax/Rent Rebate.
South Carolina
Among other tax cuts in this bill, SC residents who paid SC income taxes on their 2021 Return could have gotten up to $800 back. This means that if you received a refund, you would not have gotten this payment; if your tax liability was $500, you would have gotten $500 back. These checks should have been issued throughout 2022.
Virginia
VA residents could have gotten a one-time check of $250 or $500 for couples based on their 2021 Return. This was only for those who had a tax liability - you cannot claim this payment if you had a VA refund on your 2021 Return. These payments should have been issued through the end of 2022 for all returns filed by November 1, 2022.

IRS Stimulus Payment Help

Here is a summary of taxpayer-related stimulus questions and answers. You can only claim the third stimulus when you prepare and mail your 2021 Return by April 15, 2025.

Your Situation
Stimulus Payment
A: How to track my stimulus payment?

Get your Stimulus Payment Status

You can no longer track your stimulus payment as the IRS is no longer issuing them. During 2020 and 2021, the IRS updated the tool each time a new stimulus package was signed into law. The linked IRS tool would display the status of the most recent stimulus check. Since the IRS is no longer issuing payments, check to see if you were issued payment via your IRS account.

B: Additional stimulus payment lookup option

You may be able to see a processed payment of your stimulus checks via your IRS Account; see the steps to create your IRS Account.

Your IRS account gives you a detailed overview of your tax return history, payments, etc.
Under Account Transcript, select 2020 or 2021. You will see all deposits and transactions between you and the IRS, including stimulus payments and tax refunds or tax payments. At the bottom of the page will be a transaction history, including Economic Impact Payments, if applicable.

C: What if you never received Stimulus checks 1, 2, or 3?

Consider requesting a payment trace if your IRS account transcript shows you were issued the payment but you did not receive it. Call the IRS at 1-800-919-9835 and mail or fax Form 3911, Taxpayer Statement Regarding Refund, to the IRS address you would normally mail a paper return. On the form, write "EIP1", EIP2, and/or "EIP3" at the top and, under item 7, section 1: check the "Individual" box, enter "2020" for the Tax Period, and leave "Date filed" blank. For EIP 3, enter "2021" for the Tax Period. See more details below.

You can no longer file a 2020 Return to claim Stimulus 1 and/or Stimulus 2. Stimulus 3 was an advance payment of the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit, as the first two were advance payments of the 2020 credit. This means you must claim the third stimulus on your 2021 Tax Return by April 15, 2025. If you do not normally file, see this page for non-filers and stimulus payments, or contact us for help with this.

D: Stimulus check questions and answers

See real-life scenarios and answers to stimulus check payment questions. Learn how specific taxpayers can receive the stimulus payments if they are, in fact, owed them but never received them. These payments are tax credits and will be based on your tax information.

E: Tax return adjustments due to stimulus payments

Did you receive an IRS Notice CP12 as a result of Recovery Rebate Credit amount adjustments? Follow these instructions on how to verify your tax return or how to respond to Notice CP12. If you entered the wrong amount on your return, then the IRS will adjust this and issue you this notice.

Stimulus Payment Trace

If you were owed a stimulus payment and were, in fact, issued one but did not receive it, you may be able to trace the payment. This may be helpful if you filed a return for the Recovery Rebate Credit due to a missing stimulus payment, but the IRS removed this credit because their records indicated that they issued you the payment even if you never received it.

First, verify that your stimulus check or EIP was, in fact, issued to you via your IRS Account - this will show any transactions between the IRS and you. If you have confirmed this, never received the payment, and could not claim the RRC because of this, then consider a payment trace.

To begin, follow the instructions in Section C in the table above. You will call the IRS, fill out a form, and mail it to the IRS. Then, the IRS will investigate the case and come to one of two conclusions:

  • If the IRS determines that the check was not cashed, they will credit your account for the payment. This does not mean they are issuing you the payment.
  • Once they do this, you will need to file a 2021 Return to claim Stimulus 3. Do this after the trace is complete.
  • If the check was cashed, you will be sent a claim package, including a copy of the cashed check and instructions on how to proceed. The payment may be reversed, and you may be able to file a return to claim the RRC.

You will generally hear back from the IRS about six weeks after the request is received. Form 3911 is not needed if a trace request was successful over the phone.

WatchIT