If you missed out on a stimulus check during the pandemic, there’s good news—you may still be eligible for a payment from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). However, the deadline to claim it is fast approaching.
The IRS announced that by the end of January 2025, it would issue payments of up to $1,400 to taxpayers who never claimed the Recovery Rebate Credit. This tax credit was introduced for those who did not receive the full Economic Impact Payments—also known as stimulus checks—during the COVID-19 relief efforts.
According to the IRS, most eligible recipients will get their payments automatically, with funds arriving either through direct deposit or mailed paper checks.
Who Can Still Get a Stimulus Check?
The IRS found that nearly one million taxpayers who filed their 2021 tax returns failed to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit. As a result, they may have missed out on thousands of dollars.
To check if you qualify, look at your 2021 tax return and see whether the Recovery Rebate Credit section was left blank or marked as $0. If so, you might still be owed money.
The IRS estimates that the total amount of payments going out in this final round will be around $2.4 billion.
How Will the Payments Be Sent?
If you’re eligible, you don’t need to do anything—the IRS will send the payment automatically.
- Payments will either be deposited into bank accounts or mailed as paper checks.
- You will receive a separate letter from the IRS confirming the payment amount.
- Payments should arrive by late January 2025 for most recipients.
Why Is This Happening Now?
The U.S. government distributed three rounds of stimulus payments during the pandemic:
- First round in 2020
- Second round in 2020
- Third round in 2021
In total, the government provided $814 billion in relief funds. However, some taxpayers didn’t receive their payments due to filing errors, eligibility confusion, or simply overlooking the Recovery Rebate Credit.
To correct this, the IRS is now automatically issuing payments to those who were missed.
What Experts Are Saying
Outgoing IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel commented in December:
“The IRS continues to work hard to make improvements and help taxpayers. These payments are an example of our commitment to go the extra mile for taxpayers.
Looking at our internal data, we realized that one million taxpayers overlooked claiming this complex credit when they were actually eligible. To minimize headaches, we’re making these payments automatic, so they won’t need to go through the hassle of filing an amended return.”
Final Deadline: What You Need to Do
If you haven’t filed your 2021 tax return, you still have time to claim the credit. However, the deadline is April 15, 2025.
If you miss this deadline, you may lose your chance to claim the stimulus payment. The IRS strongly encourages anyone who believes they are eligible to file their 2021 tax return as soon as possible.
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