IRS Distributing $1,400 Stimulus Checks: Find Out If You Qualify!

• The IRS is distributing stimulus checks to taxpayers who did not claim the Recovery Rebate Credit on their 2021 tax returns.
• The deadline for filing 2021 taxes to qualify for the stimulus check is April 15, 2025.
• The IRS estimates that 1.1 million Americans may be missing out on their 2021 income tax refunds due to not filing.
• Checks, which can be as much as $1,400, will either be mailed as paper checks or direct deposited into the bank accounts specified in 2023 tax returns.

Are you potentially missing out on free money? You might be entitled to a $1,400 stimulus check from the federal government. If you haven’t yet received one, eligible individuals still have a chance to meet the deadline.

Many taxpayers have also failed to claim their income tax refunds from previous years due to not filing taxes.

The Internal Revenue Service began distributing around $2.4 billion to 1 million taxpayers for Recovery Rebate Credit checks that went unclaimed as of December.

However, the final deadline is approaching in April.

Additionally, the IRS estimates that 1.1 million Americans are missing out on approximately $1 billion in unclaimed 2021 income tax refunds due to failure to file.

This deadline is critical; if missed, the funds will revert to the U.S. Treasury.

According to IRS data, Mississippi taxpayers are collectively owed about $8,283,600. An estimated 9,600 individuals who have yet to file their 2021 taxes could each receive around $701.

Here’s what you need to know about your eligibility for a stimulus check in Mississippi and the associated filing deadline.

Who is eligible for the stimulus check?

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) indicates that over a million taxpayers did not claim the Recovery Rebate Credit on their 2021 tax returns.

The refundable credit applies to those who did not receive one or more Economic Impact Payments (or stimulus checks) during the COVID-19 pandemic.

How can I receive the check? What will be the amount?

You do not need to take any action to claim it; checks will be automatically issued.

The IRS states that checks, with a maximum value of $1,400, will be dispatched as paper checks or direct deposited into the designated bank account from the 2023 return. An additional letter will be sent as confirmation of the payment.

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What if I haven’t filed my 2021 taxes? When is the deadline?

You have until April 15, 2025, to submit back-year returns.

The IRS has indicated that you may still qualify for the check, but only individuals who have filed their taxes will receive it.

Filing your 2021 taxes is also necessary to obtain any potential refunds owed.

Bonnie Bolden serves as the Deep South Connect reporter for Mississippi with Gannett/USA Today. Reach her at bbolden@gannett.com.