Final Call: Claim Your $1,400 IRS Stimulus Check – Who’s Eligible?

The opportunity for certain Americans to claim a bonus check from the IRS will end at the close of business on April 15.

The Internal Revenue Service announced in December that approximately $2.4 billion in stimulus checks — amounting to $1,400 per qualifying individual — would be allocated to eligible U.S. taxpayers who did not claim the Recovery Rebate Credit on their 2021 tax returns.

Earlier this year, payments were automatically disbursed to qualifying individuals who filed their 2021 tax returns. However, over $1 billion in refunds remain unclaimed due to individuals who have yet to file their 2021 tax returns, as noted by the agency on April 11.

The IRS has identified more than 1 million eligible taxpayers who failed to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit, a refundable credit available for those who did not receive one or more Economic Impact Payments, commonly referred to as stimulus checks, when submitting their 2022 tax returns.

Here’s what you need to know about the $1,400 payment, along with details on eligibility for claiming it.

Who is affected by the April 15 deadline?

Individuals eligible for the Recovery Rebate Credit who have not yet filed a 2021 tax return must do so by April 15, 2025, to receive the payment. (This date is also the deadline for filing your 2024 tax returns.)

The IRS reported that 1.1 million individuals had not submitted their 2021 tax returns and might qualify for the payment of up to $1,400.

To claim a Recovery Rebate Credit, eligible individuals must file a tax return even if their income from employment, business, or other sources was minimal or non-existent.

Who is eligible to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit?

The Recovery Rebate Credit was introduced to assist individuals who did not receive one or more stimulus checks during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the IRS issued three rounds of stimulus payments, meaning most eligible individuals have already received their payments and will not qualify to claim the RRC.

Individuals who did not receive the full amount of the third stimulus check, distributed in March 2021, may qualify for the Recovery Rebate Credit on their 2021 tax return. The agency has previously advised taxpayers not to include details regarding the first two checks sent in 2020 or the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit on their 2021 tax returns.

The IRS has been sending out special batches of payments to those who qualify for the Recovery Rebate Credit but either did not claim it on their 2021 tax return or did not file taxes for 2021. The deadline to file the 2021 return in hopes of receiving the payment is April 15, 2025.

Individuals who failed to claim the credit but filed their 2021 tax returns should have received their payments automatically in December 2024 or January 2025 without needing to take any additional steps.

Taxpayers can determine if they claimed this credit by reviewing their 2021 tax return and checking whether the Recovery Rebate Credit field was left blank or filled in as $0. The IRS encourages individuals to log in to their online accounts and check the “Economic Impact Payment Information” section in the “Tax Records” page for details about which stimulus checks, or Economic Impact Payments (EIP), they may have received.

How can taxpayers claim the $1,400 IRS payment?

Payments began reaching eligible taxpayers automatically starting in December 2024 and continued until late January 2025. Qualifying individuals would have received a letter about the payment, and funds were either directly deposited or mailed as paper checks.

Taxpayers who have not filed a 2021 tax return may still qualify for the payment if they file their return and claim the Recovery Rebate Credit by April 15, 2025.

What amount will taxpayers receive?

An eligible taxpayer may receive as much as $1,400, according to the IRS.

The amount of the stimulus is contingent on your adjusted gross income. To qualify for the full $1,400, a taxpayer’s annual income must not exceed $75,000 for single filers or $150,000 for married couples filing jointly.

For further information or queries regarding how the payment was calculated or how eligibility was determined, please consult the IRS website. Payments will be directed to the bank account listed on the taxpayer’s 2023 tax return or their official address.

Contributions from: Greta Cross, USA TODAY; Maria Francis, USA TODAY Network