Yes, the IRS is issuing approximately $2.4 billion in special payments of up to $1,400 to roughly 1 million taxpayers who missed their 2021 COVID-19 stimulus checks. These payments, often called "missing stimulus checks," are being sent automatically to eligible individuals who filed a 2021 tax return but failed to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit.
People who missed out on the third COVID stimulus payment (Economic Impact Payment) or didn't receive the full amount could get $1,400 by claiming the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit (RRC) on a tax return, with eligibility based on 2021 income (AGI up to $75k single, $150k joint) and needing a valid SSN for themselves or dependents, but the deadline to claim this was April 15, 2025. The IRS issued special payments in late 2024 to many who were eligible but missed claiming the RRC for tax year 2021, and now most opportunities to claim this specific credit have passed.
Who is Getting Them? The IRS is distributing about $2.4 billion to taxpayers who didn't receive their COVID stimulus payments. By the end of January, approximately 1 million taxpayers will receive special payments of up to $1,400 from the IRS.
What to know. The Internal Revenue Service is sending out $2.4 billion in stimulus payments to approximately 1 million eligible taxpayers who didn't receive 2021 COVID recovery relief payments.
The legislation will give single adults who reported adjusted gross income of $75,000 or less on their 2019 tax returns a one-time check for $1,200. Married couples who filed jointly will receive $2,400. Families will get an additional $500 for each child under 17.
The agency will automatically send payments to about one million eligible individuals who didn't claim this credit on their tax returns. These unclaimed stimulus payments are expected to total around $2.4 billion, with each eligible taxpayer receiving up to $1,400.
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (American Rescue Plan), enacted in early March 2021, provided Economic Impact Payments of up to $1,400 for eligible individuals or $2,800 for married couples filing jointly, plus $1,400 for each qualifying dependent, including adult dependents.
Visit the IRS Get My Payment (GMP) portal at https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/get-my-payment to see if you can expect a 2021 Economic Impact Payment. The GMP portal will provide the date when your payment was or will be sent.
The IRS allows you to amend returns from the last three years, which sometimes results in delayed or unexpected refund checks. While a few taxpayers are genuinely seeing deposits of $2,000 or $3,000, those refunds are tied to specific past errors or missed credits, not a general program available now.
After logging into your account, you can find stimulus check information in the "tax records" section under the "records and status" toolbar. You can also check the "tax records" section to see if you filed a return for 2021.
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.
If you're on SSDI, you've likely received past stimulus checks automatically. Right now, there's no new stimulus in 2025, but history shows that SSDI beneficiaries have been included in relief programs. If another round is ever approved, you can expect to qualify as long as you meet income rules.
The IRS will send a Letter 6475 in late January, 2022, that lists the stimulus payment amount sent to you. The letter details your information for easy reference—you don't have to file it with your tax return.
Eligibility Criteria for Senior Stimulus Checks
Those who receive Social Security benefits, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), or veterans' benefits are also considered for stimulus payments, even if they do not file a tax return.
The special payments announced by the IRS are being sent to those taxpayers who filed a 2021 tax return but left the data field for the Recovery Rebate Credit blank or they filled it out as $0 when they were actually eligible for the credit.
To track your past stimulus payments, you can check your IRS online account for total amounts or, if you're missing payments, file a tax return claiming the Recovery Rebate Credit, as the official "Get My Payment" tool is no longer active for the original stimulus rounds but your account shows records, using your Social Security Number (SSN) for access and verification.
All Social Security beneficiaries – retired workers, workers with disabilities, eligible family members, and survivors – may be eligible for the stimulus payment.
"There is no penalty for failure to file if a refund is due. However, a return claiming a refund must be filed within three years of its due date for a refund to be allowed," the IRS noted, meaning that the last day to claim the money is April 15, 2025.
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.
Payments will vary but the maximum amount will be $1,400 per individual. 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.
The Internal Revenue Service announced in December that it would be distributing about $2.4 billion — up to $1,400 per individual — worth of stimulus checks to U.S. taxpayers who did not claim the Recovery Rebate Credit on their 2021 tax returns.