The IRS started sending the third Economic Impact Payments to eligible individuals in March 2021 and continued sending payments throughout the year as tax returns were processed.
Below, we compare the first $1,200, second $600 payments and the third check of $1,400, which includes a massive change to the definition of dependents. This story has been updated with new information.
President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act on March 11, 2021. Provisions in the bill authorized a third round of stimulus checks worth $1,400 for each eligible person ($2,800 for couples), plus an additional $1,400 for each dependent.
All second stimulus checks were issued by January 15, 2021. If you didn't get a second stimulus check by then (mailed checks may take longer to deliver), you can claim your second stimulus check as the Recovery Rebate Tax Credit on your 2020 tax return or use GetCTC.org if you don't have a filing requirement.
The government has so far issued three rounds of stimulus checks. The first "economic impact payment" was worth up to $1,200 and given to low-income households in 2020. This was then followed by a second payment worth up to $600 at the beginning of 2021.
To find the amounts of your Economic Impact Payments, check: Your Online Account: Securely access your individual IRS account online to view the total of your first, second and third Economic Impact Payment amounts under the “Economic Impact Payment Information” section on the Tax Records page.
The first payments, through direct deposit and paper checks with some later payments made by EIP 2 Cards, were issued between 29 December 2020 and 15 January 2021.
The IRS will automatically send a third stimulus payment to people who filed a 2019 or 2020 federal income tax return. People who receive Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, Railroad Retirement benefits, or veterans benefits will receive a third payment automatically, too.
Use the IRS Get My Payment tool to track stimulus money
For the third stimulus check: It's worth visiting the IRS' online portal designed to track the status of your 2021 payment. Generally, it should tell you when your check will be processed and how you'll receive it: for example, as a paper check in the mail.
the first Economic Impact Payment was $1,200 ($2,400 if married filing jointly) plus $500 for each qualifying child you had in 2020; and. the second Economic Impact Payment was $600 ($1,200 if married filing jointly) plus $600 for each qualifying child you had in 2020.
Eligible taxpayers will receive an economic impact payment of up to $1,200 for individuals or $2,400 for married couples. Up to $500 is provided for each qualifying child who is a dependent under 17.
The easiest way to check which Economic Impact Payments, also known as stimulus checks, you have received is by heading over to the IRS website.
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, signed into law on March 11, 2021, authorized a third round of Economic Impact Payments and required them to be issued by December 31, 2021. The IRS began issuing these payments on March 12, 2021 and continued through the end of the year.
The CARES Act was signed into law on March 27, 2020, and the first stimulus check, which maxed out at $1,200 per person (with an extra $500 per dependent), would have arrived as early as mid-April 2020, either as a paper check in your mailbox or via direct deposit into your bank account.
Eligible individuals can visit IRS.gov and use the Get My Payment tool to find out the status of their Economic Impact Payment. This tool will show if a payment has been issued and whether the payment was direct deposited or sent by mail.
What if I never received Letter 6475 or lost it? If you never received a third stimulus check, the IRS didn't send you Letter 6475. If you were eligible and didn't get a payment in 2021, you can get those funds now by claiming the recovery rebate tax credit on your 2021 tax return.
Eligible individuals can visit IRS.gov and use the Get My Payment tool to find out the status of their Economic Impact Payment. This tool will show if a payment has been issued and whether the payment was direct deposited or sent by mail.
Here is how the second stimulus eligibility and payment is determined: The payment was based on your 2019 Adjusted Gross Income (AGI), your tax return filing status, and the dependents you claim or your dependency status. If you are claimed as a dependent for 2019 or 2020, you will not receive the payments.
Stimulus amounts for 1 & 2:
The first stimulus payment was $1,200 per adult and $500 per dependent child under 17. The second stimulus payment was $600 per adult and $600 per dependent child under 17.
The second stimulus checks for the COVID-19 relief package are set to total $600 per person, with phase outs based on adjusted gross income limits that are similar to the first relief package. Families also get additional $600 payments for each qualifying dependent under age 17.
Starting in March 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) provided Economic Impact Payments of up to $1,200 per adult for eligible individuals and $500 per qualifying child under age 17.
Stimulus checks are not taxable, but they still need to be reported on 2021 tax returns, which need to be filed this spring. The 2021 stimulus checks were disbursed to eligible recipients starting in March of last year. They are worth up to $1,400 per qualifying taxpayer and each of their dependents.
If you didn't qualify for a third Economic Impact Payment or got less than the full amount, you may be eligible to claim the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit when you file your 2021 tax return. You must file a return to claim the credit, even if you don't usually file a tax return.