The first stimulus payment in 2020, under the CARES Act, provided up to $1,200 for eligible individuals and $2,400 for married couples filing jointly, plus $500 for each qualifying child under 17, with amounts reduced for higher incomes (AGI over $75k single, $150k joint). Most went out starting in April 2020, arriving via direct deposit, mail, or debit card, and were part of the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit.
Single adults who reported a 2019 tax return with an adjusted gross income of $75,000 or less are eligible to receive $600. Married couples who filed jointly with an adjusted gross income of up to $150,000 will qualify to receive $1,200. Families with children under 17 will receive an additional $600 for each child.
The first round included a $1,200 payment from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which was signed into law last March. And now, President Trump has signed a second $900 billion economic relief package on December 27 that includes another stimulus check paying up to $600 per person.
The 2021 stimulus payments were worth up to $1,400 per individual, or $2,800 per married couple. A family of four could receive up to $5,600 with two eligible dependents.
You will get a stimulus check the same way that you get your Social Security or SSI (for example, in your bank account or through Direct Express).
If you did not receive the first or second Economic Impact Payment, or received a partial payment, you can still claim your full amount. According to the IRS, you should file a 2020 tax return to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit.
You will record the amount you received in stimulus funds, if any, on Form 1040 U.S. Individual Income Tax Return, Line 30. If you received the full amount you qualified for, no further action will be taken.
2021 Credit (Third Stimulus Payment):
Up to $1,400 per eligible adult. Claim deadline: April 15, 2025 (expired)
More than half of the payments were sent out in the first three weeks, much faster than similar payments had been issued in previous recessions; however, some households didn't receive their funds until several months later.
Third round of stimulus checks: March 2021
The third payment provided eligible individual taxpayers for a check of up to $1,400, while couples filing jointly could receive a maximum of $2,800.
Taxpayers have three years to file a return and claim any refunds, credits or stimulus payments. So, the deadline for any remaining 2020 stimulus payments was Tax Day 2024, while the cut-off for 2021 payments was April 15, 2025.
Securely access your IRS online account to view the total of your first, second and third Economic Impact Payment amounts under the Tax Records page.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, also known as the CARES Act, is a $2.2 trillion economic stimulus bill passed by the 116th United States Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump on March 27, 2020, in response to the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.
The 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit is part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act that was signed into law in March of 2020. The initial stimulus payment provided up to $1,200 per qualifying adult and up to $500 per qualifying dependent.
The Second Round of Stimulus Checks
The second round of stimulus payments were authorized on December 27, 2020 as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021. Those payments typically totaled $600 per person, or $1,200 for married individuals, plus $600 for each qualifying child.
The deadline to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit for the first and second stimulus checks was May 17, 2024. While you can no longer claim these payments, below describes who may have needed to file to get these stimulus checks.
While speculation about a fourth stimulus check has surfaced on social media and unverified websites, there has been no official confirmation from Congress or the IRS to support this claim and any such news should be taken with caution as it could be misinformation or attempted fraud.
The 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit includes up to an additional $1,400 for each qualifying dependent you claim on your 2021 tax return. A qualifying dependent is a dependent who has a valid Social Security number or Adoption Taxpayer Identification Number issued by the IRS.
Some of you may have received a $1,200 payment in April 2020 either in the form of a paper check or a direct deposit into your bank account. A second round of $600 payments is going out in late December 2020/early January 2021. The IRS sends these payments to anyone who filed a resident tax return for 2018 and/or 2019.
If you receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits, you will automatically qualify for the third stimulus check which will be in the amount $1400. Even if you are a dependent, you will qualify. This includes young adults (ages 17 to 24), and older adult dependents.
If you don't file taxes when required, the IRS imposes significant penalties and interest, starting with a 5% late-filing penalty (up to 25% of tax owed), plus a failure-to-pay penalty (0.5% per month), and interest on the total amount due, which can lead to wage garnishment, tax liens on property, seizure of assets, and even criminal charges in severe cases, though the primary consequences are financial penalties and collection actions. If you're owed a refund, there are no penalties for filing late, but you must file to claim it.
Yes, it is too late to claim any COVID-19 stimulus money, as the final deadline to claim the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit (the third stimulus payment) passed on April 15, 2025, and earlier deadlines for the first two payments also expired. The IRS only allows a three-year window to file for refunds and credits, meaning you can no longer claim these missed payments by filing old tax returns.
A1. Yes, if your 2020 has been processed and you didn't claim the credit on your original 2020 tax return, you must file an Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return, Form 1040-X, to claim the credit.