There's Still Time to Claim a $1,400 IRS Stimulus Payment

A key deadline is approaching if you didn't file your 2021 tax return but qualified for a stimulus check.

On Dec. 20, the IRS announced plans to send a total of $2.4 billion in "special payments" to approximately 1 million taxpayers. The agency dispersed most of those funds earlier this year automatically to eligible taxpayers who did not claim the Recovery Rebate Credit on their 2021 tax returns. The credit was designed for people who did not receive the full amount of their pandemic stimulus payments, known as Economic Impact Payments (EIPs).

The payments vary, with a maximum of $1,400 per qualified recipient. The amount depends on a variety of factors, including your income, filing status and number of dependents.

However, if you didn't file a tax return for 2021, you would not have received a payment automatically even if you were eligible. The only way to claim the money now is to file a 2021 return by April 15.

Who qualifies?

Anyone eligible for a 2021 stimulus payment who never received it may qualify. Lawmakers authorized three EIPs, the first two in 2020 and a third in 2021, to help Americans who were struggling financially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Most taxpayers who were eligible have already received their stimulus checks or Recovery Rebate Credit. However, “Looking at our internal data, we realized that one million taxpayers overlooked claiming this complex credit when they were actually eligible,” IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel said in the Dec. 20 statement.

While those eligible taxpayers who  left the Recovery Rebate Credit field on their 2021 tax return blank or wrote "$0" should have automatically received a special payment by now, anyone eligible but who didn't file a 2021 return would not have received a special payment automatically.

How do I receive my payment?

Most eligible taxpayers received the money earlier this year. “To minimize headaches and get this money to eligible taxpayers, we’re making these payments automatic, meaning these people will not be required to go through the extensive process of filing an amended return to receive it,” Werfel said. The payment was automatically deposited to the bank account that you listed on your 2023 tax return. (If you’ve closed that bank account or didn't list one, you should have received a check to your mailing address on record.)

What if I didn’t file my 2021 taxes?

If, for some reason, you have not filed your 2021 tax return yet, you must file the return by April 15 to claim the money. Another reason to file by then: The IRS said in a March 11 announcement it estimates that more than $1 billion in refunds remain unclaimed for the 2021 tax year not including the Recovery Rebate Credit, with a median refund of $781 — but refunds become property of the U.S. Treasury if you don't file a return within three years.

If you need assistance, consider consulting a professional tax preparer. The AARP Foundation's Tax-Aide program offers free tax preparation services aimed at taxpayers ages 50 and older with low to moderate income. The program is staffed by more than 30,000 volunteers. To learn more, visit aarpfoundation.org/taxaide or call 888-OUR-AARP (888-687-2277).