Yes, it's too late to claim any unclaimed COVID-19 stimulus checks, as the deadline to claim them through the Recovery Rebate Credit on 2020 and 2021 tax returns was April 15, 2025. The IRS issued final payments for those who filed by the deadline, and any unclaimed funds now belong to the U.S. Treasury.
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.
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.
To check for unclaimed stimulus checks, access your IRS online account, as the main period to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit ended in April 2025, but you can see payment info; for other potential unclaimed funds (like state refunds or dormant accounts), search the free unclaimed.org (NAUPA) or MissingMoney.com, which link to official state databases for free searches.
Deadline to file with the IRS for a missed $1,400 stimulus check is April 15.
First and Second Stimulus Check
You will need to file a tax return for Tax Year 2020 (which you file in 2021). The deadline to file your taxes was last October 15, 2021. If you missed the October 2021 filing deadline, you can still file your tax return to get your first and second stimulus checks.
Stimulus checks were sent out back in 2020 as part of COVID relief. In 2021, the Recovery Rebate Credit was available to claim on your return if you didn't receive your stimulus checks. Both of those initiatives have ended.
Stimulus checks – The period to claim unpaid Economic Impact Payments has ended. In December 2024, the IRS sent payments to people who didn't receive them or claim the Recovery Rebate credit by April 2025. Read about the IRS' payments of the recovery rebate credit.
You can start a payment trace by calling the IRS at 800-919-9835. Or mail or fax a completed Form 3911, Taxpayer Statement Regarding Refund, to the IRS. For more information about payment tracing, go to IRS Payment Trace.
No, the IRS is not currently sending out new $1400 stimulus checks in 2026, but they did wrap up sending out final automatic payments for unclaimed 2021 Recovery Rebate Credits in late 2024/early 2025, with the deadline to claim these missed payments passing on April 15, 2025; new checks would require new Congressional action, and any texts about current stimulus payments are scams, say FOX 5 DC, CNBC, and IRS.gov.
What you need to do
What Happens If You Miss the Deadline? The consequences of missing the deadline are steep: you lose the money entirely. If you don't submit your 2021 tax return by April 15, you won't be able to claim the $1,400 stimulus or any refund you may have been due that year.
If you missed your 2021 stimulus payment, there Is still time to claim it. The deadline to file for the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit and receive your stimulus payment is April 15, 2025.
You can qualify for a stimulus payment even if you don't work or have earned income. Usually, married couples qualify to receive a $2,400 stimulus payment, while individuals normally qualify to get $1,200. People with qualifying children under age 17 can get up to an additional $500 for each child.
Those with questions can call the stimulus check hotline at 1-800-919- 9835.
To check for unclaimed stimulus checks, access your IRS online account, as the main period to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit ended in April 2025, but you can see payment info; for other potential unclaimed funds (like state refunds or dormant accounts), search the free unclaimed.org (NAUPA) or MissingMoney.com, which link to official state databases for free searches.
April 15th is Tax Day for 2024 returns but it also marks a three-year deadline to claim any tax refunds or in this case, the $1,400 Recovery Rebate Credit for that year — 2021.
If you haven't claimed the third economic impact payment yet, now is your time to do so. April 15, 2025, will be the last opportunity to claim the third payment.
To check if you're owed a past stimulus payment, use the IRS.gov website to access your online account and view payment records, or if you missed a payment, see if you're eligible to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit on your 2020 or 2021 tax return, as the "Get My Payment" tool is no longer active for checking status, but the IRS has issued all primary payments.
Didn't get the full first and second payments? Claim the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit. You may be eligible to claim the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit by filing a 2020 tax return. For the latest updates, check IRS.gov/coronavirus.
In total, the IRS will be distributing about $2.4 billion to taxpayers who failed to claim a Recovery Rebate Credit on their 2021 tax returns. The IRS has posted information online about eligibility and how the payment was calculated.
On the 2021 return, there is a line for the Recovery Rebate Credit. If you use tax software, it will ask questions about your stimulus payment and help you figure out the credit. If you were eligible for $1,400 (plus $1,400 for each eligible dependent) and didn't receive it, you claim that exact amount as a credit.
The IRS is no longer mailing third stimulus checks automatically. If you haven't received your third stimulus check by mail, you must file a 2021 tax return by April 15, 2025, to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit. Since this is the last year to file a 2021 tax return, you must mail it to the IRS.
Yes, the IRS announced in late 2024 it would send up to $1,400 to about 1 million taxpayers who missed claiming the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit (third stimulus payment) by automatically issuing payments via direct deposit or paper check, using 2023 tax return info, with most expected by early 2025; eligible individuals who didn't receive these funds might still get them if they filed a 2021 return by the April 15, 2025 deadline. These payments were for those who didn't receive the full third stimulus or didn't claim the credit, with amounts depending on income, filing status, and dependents.