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If you haven’t yet submitted your 2021 tax return and did not receive a pandemic-related IRS stimulus check, be aware that the deadline is April 15, as the agency allows a three-year period to claim refunds.
Those who missed out on the 2021 stimulus payment of up to $1,400 can request the recovery rebate credit on their tax return for that year.
“If you haven’t received the stimulus, time is running out,” stated Robert Nassau, a law professor at Syracuse University and director of the low-income tax clinic at the school.
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In December, the IRS revealed its plans to automatically distribute “special payments” of up to $1,400 to 1 million taxpayers who did not claim the 2021 recovery rebate credit on their tax returns for that year.
The agency anticipates most payments will be delivered via direct deposit or paper check by late January 2025, based on the information from the taxpayer’s 2023 return.
To check if the IRS issued a stimulus payment, you can set up an online account and review “tax records” in the “records and status” section.
“That’s the best place to check,” advised Tommy Lucas, a certified financial planner and enrolled agent at Moisand Fitzgerald Tamayo in Orlando, Florida.
Your IRS online account also indicates whether you submitted a 2021 return, Lucas noted.
Failing to file your 2021 return by April 15 could mean missing out on additional tax benefits, like the earned income tax credit, which can result in a refund even if no taxes are owed, according to the IRS.
The IRS predicted in early March that over $1 billion in refunds from tax year 2021 remain unclaimed. This figure encompasses more than 1.1 million taxpayers, with a median unpaid refund of $781. These estimates do not include eligible credits, such as the recovery rebate credit.
You need ‘proof’ of filing by the deadline
While there are numerous free options for tax filing this season, Nassau cautioned that some may not support electronic submissions for 2021 returns.
If you must mail your 2021 return, it’s advisable to send it via certified mail to provide “proof” of submission by the April 15 deadline, he added.
“I’ve encountered instances where the IRS receives a filing after the due date, and they automatically declare it late,” Nassau remarked. “Invest the $5 to send it certified.”
