People are receiving $1,400 payments from the IRS as part of a "special payment" initiative—or "plus-up" payments—designed for eligible individuals who did not receive their full third stimulus check (Economic Impact Payment) under the 2021 American Rescue Plan. These payments are being distributed automatically to about 1 million taxpayers who were entitled to the money but failed to claim the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit on their original tax return.
That $1400 is probably a tax refund or adjustment from 2021. The IRS sends these checks for things like overpayments or stimulus money.
Qualification for the $1,400 stimulus check (the third Economic Impact Payment) in 2021 depended on your 2021 Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) and filing status, with full amounts for single filers earning up to $75,000 (phasing out at $80,000) and joint filers up to $150,000 (phasing out at $160,000), plus $1,400 per dependent; you needed a valid Social Security Number and had to claim it as the Recovery Rebate Credit on your 2021 tax return if you missed the payment, with deadlines typically in April 2025.
Single filers: You qualify for the full $1,400 if your AGI in 2021 was $75,000 or less. The credit begins to decrease for incomes over $75,000 and is fully phased out at $80,000. Married filing jointly: You qualify for the full $2,800 (for two people) if your combined AGI in 2021 was $150,000 or less.
Tax refunds can happen if you fill out your W-4 incorrectly, overpay your estimated taxes, are eligible for a refundable tax credit, or receive the Recovery Rebate Credit in 2025. You can use an unexpected tax refund to pay down debt, save for emergencies or college, invest for retirement, and even splurge a little.
If you paid more through the year than you owe in tax, you may get money back. Even if you didn't pay tax, you may still get a refund if you qualify for a refundable credit.
Tracking the status of a tax refund is easy with the Where's My Refund? tool. It's available anytime on IRS.gov or through the IRS2Go App. Taxpayers can start checking their refund status within 24 hours after an e-filed return is received.
"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.
You can't track a current $1400 stimulus check, as all three rounds of Economic Impact Payments (EIPs) are finished, but you can check your IRS Online Account for past payment amounts and use the Recovery Rebate Credit page if you missed yours and need to claim it on your 2020 or 2021 tax return, though deadlines have passed for claiming those credits. The Get My Payment tool is no longer active for tracking; you must use your online IRS account to view your payment history.
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.
Stimulus payments
What Were the Stimulus Payment Three Requirements? The third stimulus payment requires the eligible recipient to be a U.S. citizen or resident alien, possess a Social Security number, and not be claimed as a dependent.
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.
Stimulus payments, called “Recovery Rebate Credits” by the IRS, were issued in 2020 and 2021. Individuals who didn't receive their 2021 payment had until April 15, 2025, to file or amend a tax return and claim a missing payment. That deadline has now passed.
The third stimulus check was approved as part of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, a $1.9 trillion relief bill passed by the 117th United States Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden in March 2021. It was a Democratic-led effort, passed without Republican support, providing $1,400 direct payments to eligible individuals.
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.
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 IRS typically only allows you to file an old return and get a refund within three years, so April 15, 2025, was the last chance to get any outstanding 2021 credit.
Check the status of your stimulus check on the IRS Get My Payment website.
If you didn't get the full amount of the third 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.
A million tax filers got letters from the IRS in December indicating they had money coming to them because they were eligible to receive the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit but didn't claim it on their 2021 federal tax return. Those checks were sent out by late January, the IRS says.
The IRS $600 rule refers to a change in reporting requirements for third-party payment apps (like Venmo, PayPal) for taxable income from goods and services, where platforms must send a Form 1099-K if you receive over $600 in a year, intended to capture gig economy/side hustle income, though delays and phased implementation have adjusted the timeline, with current rules for 2024 using a higher threshold ($5,000) before fully phasing to $600 for future years, but remember all taxable income, regardless of form, must always be reported.
Unexpected Checks or Payments
If you receive an unexpected IRS refund check or direct deposit payment, this could be a red flag. The IRS typically does not issue refunds without prior communication. You can verify your status by logging into your IRS account on their official website.
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.