Questions and Answers about the Third-round Economic Impact Payment — Topic A: General Information

Notice: Historical Content


This is an archival or historical document and may not reflect current law, policies or procedures.

These updated FAQs were released to the public in Fact Sheet 2022-22PDF, March 25, 2022.

If you didn't receive, or get the full amount of, the third-round Economic Impact Payment, you may be eligible to claim the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit and must file a 2021 tax return – even if you don't usually file taxes – to claim it. Your 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit will reduce any tax you owe for 2021 or be included in your tax refund.

If your income is $73,000 or less, you can file your federal tax return electronically for free through the IRS Free File Program. The fastest and most secure way to get your tax refund is to file electronically and have it direct deposited, contactless and free, into your financial account. You can have your refund direct deposited into your bank account, prepaid debit card, or mobile app, and will need to provide routing and account numbers.

If you didn't get the full amounts of the first and second Economic Impact Payments, you may be eligible to claim the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit and must file a 2020 tax return – even if you don't usually file taxes – to claim it. DO NOT include any information regarding the first and second Economic Impact Payments or the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit on your 2021 return.
 

The IRS has issued all third-round Economic Impact Payments, including all plus-up payments.

Families and individuals in the following circumstances, among others, may not have received the full amount of their third-round Economic Impact Payment because their circumstances in 2021 were different than they were in 2020. These families and individuals may be eligible to receive more money by claiming the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit on their 2021 income tax return:

  • Parents of a child born in 2021 who claim the child as a dependent on their 2021 income tax return may be eligible to receive a 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit of up to $1,400 for this child.
    • All eligible parents of qualifying children born or welcomed through adoption or foster care in 2021 are also encouraged to claim the child tax credit — worth up to $3,600 per child born in 2021 — on their 2021 income tax return.
  • Families who added a dependent – such as a parent, a nephew or niece, or a grandchild – on their 2021 income tax return who was not listed as a dependent on their 2020 income tax return may be eligible to receive a 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit of up to $1,400 for this dependent.
  • Single filers who had incomes above $80,000 in 2020 but less than this amount in 2021; married couples who filed a joint return and had incomes above $160,000 in 2020 but less than this amount in 2021; and head of household filers who had incomes above $120,000 in 2020 but less than this amount in 2021 may be eligible for a 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit of up to $1,400 per person.
  • Single filers who had incomes between $75,000 and $80,000 in 2020 but had lower incomes in 2021; married couples who filed a joint return and had incomes between $150,000 and $160,000 in 2020 but had lower incomes in 2021; and head of household filers who had incomes between $112,500 and $120,000 in 2020 but had lower incomes in 2021 may be eligible for a 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit.

Individuals must claim the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit on their 2021 income tax return in order to get this money; the IRS will not automatically calculate the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit. Most other eligible people already received the full amount of their credit in advance and don't need to include any information about this payment when they file their 2021 tax return. People who are missing their stimulus payment should review the information on the Recovery Rebate Credit page to determine their eligibility to claim the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit.

Securely access your individual IRS online account to view your third Economic Impact Payment amount and look under "Tax Records."

We are also sending Letter 6475 through March 2022 to the address we have on file for you, confirming the total amount of your third Economic Impact Payment, including any plus-up payment you received for tax year 2021.

If you don't normally file a tax return and you need to file a federal tax return for 2021, anyone with no income or income of $73,000 or less can file their Federal tax return electronically for free through the IRS Free File Program.

The IRS started processing payments on Friday, March 12, 2021, to eligible taxpayers who filed a 2019 or 2020 return, including people who don't typically file a return but who successfully used the Non-Filers tool on IRS.gov in 2020 to file a return.

The IRS has issued all third-round Economic Impact Payments, including all plus-up payments, as of December 31, 2021.

Families and individuals in the following circumstances, among others, may not have received the full amount of their third-round Economic Impact Payment because their circumstances in 2021 were different than they were in 2020. These families and individuals may be eligible to receive more money by claiming the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit on their 2021 income tax return:

  • Parents of a child born in 2021 who claim the child as a dependent on their 2021 income tax return may be eligible to receive a 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit of up to $1,400 for this child.
    • All eligible parents of qualifying children born or welcomed through adoption or foster care in 2021 are also encouraged to claim the child tax credit — worth up to $3,600 per child born in 2021 — on their 2021 income tax return.
  • Families who added a dependent – such as a parent, a nephew or niece, or a grandchild – on their 2021 income tax return who was not listed as a dependent on their 2020 income tax return may be eligible to receive a 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit of up to $1,400 for this dependent.
  • Single filers who had incomes above $80,000 in 2020 but less than this amount in 2021; married couples who filed a joint return and had incomes above $160,000 in 2020 but less than this amount in 2021; and head of household filers who had incomes above $120,000 in 2020 but less than this amount in 2021 may be eligible for a 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit of up to $1,400 per person.
  • Single filers who had incomes between $75,000 and $80,000 in 2020 but had lower incomes in 2021; married couples who filed a joint return and had incomes between $150,000 and $160,000 in 2020 but had lower incomes in 2021; and head of household filers who had incomes between $112,500 and $120,000 in 2020 but had lower incomes in 2021 may be eligible for a 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit.

Individuals must claim the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit on their 2021 income tax return in order to get this money; the IRS will not automatically calculate the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit. Most other eligible people already received the full amount of their credit in advance and don't need to include any information about this payment when they file their 2021 tax return.

People who are missing their stimulus payment, or did not receive the full amount for which they are eligible, should review the information on the Recovery Rebate Credit page to determine their eligibility to claim the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit.

No, Get My Payment is no longer available. To find information regarding your economic impact payments, securely access your individual IRS online account and look under "Tax Records."

We are also sending Letter 6475 through March 2022 to the address we have on file for you, confirming the total amount of your third Economic Impact Payment, including any plus-up payment you received for tax year 2021.

No, Get My Payment is no longer available. To find information regarding your economic impact payments, securely access your individual IRS online account and look under "Tax Records".

The IRS mailed Notice 1444-C, Your third Economic Impact Payment, to people who were issued a third-round Economic Impact Payment at the address we have on file.

To find information regarding your Economic Impact Payments, securely access your individual IRS online account and look under "Tax Records".

We are also sending Letter 6475 through March 2022 to the address we have on file for you confirming the total amount of your third Economic Impact Payment, including any plus-up payment you received for tax year 2021.

Please keep any IRS notices or letters you receive related to the third round of Economic Impact Payments with your tax records. You may need to refer to it when you file your 2021 tax return.

No, Economic Impact Payments can't be counted as income when determining if you or anyone else is eligible for benefits or assistance, or how much you or anyone else can receive, under any federal program or under any state or local program financed in whole or in part with federal funds. These programs also can't count Economic Impact Payments as a resource for purposes of determining eligibility for a period of 12 months from receipt.

No. The IRS has issued all third-round Economic Impact Payments, including all plus-up payments, as of December 31, 2021.

If you did not receive any payment in 2021, or did not receive the full amount for which you are eligible, you may be eligible to claim the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit when you file your 2021 tax return.

The IRS urges everyone to be on the lookout for scam artists trying to use the Economic Impact Payments as a cover for schemes to steal personal information and money. The IRS doesn't initiate contact by email, text messages, or social media channels to request personal or financial information – even information related to the Economic Impact Payments. Also, watch out for emails with attachments or links claiming to have special information about Economic Impact Payments or refunds.

If you receive a suspicious IRS-related email, see Report Phishing and Online Scams for additional information.

If you used the online tool to file a federal income tax return but did not receive the third-round Economic Impact Payment or did not receive the full amount for which you are eligible, you may be eligible to claim the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit. To claim this credit, you must file a 2021 tax return even if you otherwise are not required to file a tax return. For more information, refer to RRC FAQ Q B1. I used the Non-Filers tool last year and don't usually file a tax return. What should I do to claim a 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit?

No. All Economic Impact Payments and plus-up payments have been issued.

If your 2019 or 2020 return is not fully processed in time to issue your third payment by the statutory deadline of December 31, 2021, you may be eligible to claim the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit and must file a 2021 tax return to claim the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit. If you need to file a federal tax return for 2021 and have income of $73,000 or less, you can file your tax return electronically for free with the IRS Free File Program.