How to check if you received a stimulus payment
The fastest way to find out whether you received a stimulus check is to log into your IRS account at IRS.gov and look at your tax records. The IRS keeps a record of every stimulus payment sent under your Social Security number. If you received one, it will show the date and amount.
If you do not have an IRS online account, you can create one at IRS.gov using your Social Security number, date of birth, and mailing address. The process takes about 10 minutes. Once you are logged in, go to "Tax Records" and look for "Economic Impact Payments" — that is the official name for stimulus checks.
If you received a check by mail and it was lost or never arrived, the IRS record will still show it was sent. You can then request a replacement check or have the IRS investigate what happened to it.
Key Takeaways
- Check your IRS account at IRS.gov to see the date and amount of any stimulus payment you received.
- Stimulus payments were based on your tax filing status, income, and dependent children — not on whether you were working or receiving other benefits.
- If you did not receive a payment you think you were owed, you can claim it on your tax return as a Recovery Rebate Credit.
- The IRS sent stimulus payments in three rounds: March 2020, December 2020, and March 2021, and each had different income limits.
Who received stimulus payments in each round
The IRS sent three rounds of stimulus payments between 2020 and 2021. Each round had different income limits and rules about who could receive them. The first two rounds went to people who filed taxes in 2018 or 2019. The third round included people who filed in 2020.
In all three rounds, your filing status determined your income limit. Single filers had lower limits than married couples filing jointly. If you were married filing separately, you had the lowest limit of all. The IRS also counted dependent children — you received an extra payment for each child under 17.
The income limits also changed between rounds. The first round had higher limits than the second and third. If you made more money in one year than another, you might have received a payment in one round but not another. Your actual income in the year you filed determined whether you crossed the limit.
What to do if you think you were owed a payment but did not receive it
If you believe you should have received a stimulus payment but your IRS account shows nothing, you can claim it on your next tax return using the Recovery Rebate Credit. This is a line item on the tax form that lets you claim any stimulus money you did not get.
To claim the Recovery Rebate Credit, you will need to file a tax return for the year the payment should have been sent. For example, if you think you missed the first stimulus check from 2020, you would claim it on your 2020 tax return. You can file this return even if you do not normally have to file — the IRS will process it and send you the money you are owed.
The IRS will verify your income and filing status against the records they have. If you meet the requirements for that round of payments, they will send you the difference between what you should have received and what you actually got. This process usually takes four to six weeks after the IRS receives your return.
Income limits for each stimulus round
The income limits for stimulus payments varied by filing status and changed between the three rounds. Below is what the IRS used to determine who could receive each payment.
| Filing Status | First Round (2020) | Second Round (2020) | Third Round (2021) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single | $99,000 | $87,000 | $80,000 |
| Married Filing Jointly | $198,000 | $174,000 | $160,000 |
| Married Filing Separately | $99,000 | $87,000 | $80,000 |
These limits are based on your adjusted gross income (AGI) from your tax return. If your income was below the limit for your filing status, you received the full payment for that round. If your income was above the limit, the payment amount decreased by $5 for every $100 over the limit until it reached zero.
The income limits also applied to dependent children. You received an additional payment for each child under 17 claimed on your return, as long as your total income was below the limit for your filing status.
How the IRS determined your payment amount
The IRS calculated your stimulus payment based on three things: your filing status, your income, and the number of dependent children you claimed. The base payment amount changed in each round, but the formula stayed the same.
In the first round, single filers received $1,200 and married couples received $2,400. In the second round, those amounts dropped to $600 and $1,200. In the third round, they went back up to $1,400 and $2,800. Each dependent child added $500 in the first round and $600 in the second and third rounds.
If your income was above the limit for your filing status, the IRS subtracted $5 from your payment for every $100 you earned over the limit. For example, if you were single and earned $5,000 over the limit in the third round, your $1,400 payment would have been reduced by $350, leaving you with $1,050.
Why some people did not receive their full payment
Some people received less than the full stimulus amount, or nothing at all, even though they thought they may have access to. The most common reasons are income over the limit, a change in filing status, or owing money to the government.
If you owed back taxes, child support, or student loan debt, the IRS could use your stimulus payment to pay down what you owed. This is called offset. The IRS would send you a notice explaining that your payment was reduced or withheld for this reason. If this happened to you, you can still claim the Recovery Rebate Credit on your tax return for the amount that was offset.
Some people also did not receive a payment because the IRS did not have their current address. If you moved and did not update your address with the IRS, the check may have been sent to an old address. In this case, your IRS account will show the payment was sent, but you never received it. You can claim it on your tax return using the Recovery Rebate Credit.
What happens if you received a payment by mistake
If you received a stimulus payment but later realized you did not meet the income requirements, you do not have to pay it back. The IRS did not require people to return overpayments, and there is no penalty for receiving more than you were owed.
However, if you received a payment under someone else's name or Social Security number, or if you received multiple payments for the same person, you should contact the IRS to report it. You can call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 or report it through your IRS account online.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I check the status of a stimulus check I received by mail?
Yes. Your IRS account shows the date the check was mailed and the amount. If you never received it, you can request a replacement check through your IRS account or by calling 1-800-829-1040. The IRS can reissue a check or send the payment by direct deposit instead.
What if my income changed between the year I filed and when the stimulus was sent?
The IRS used your most recent tax return on file at the time each payment was sent. If you filed your 2019 return in early 2020, the IRS used that income for the first stimulus check, even if you made more or less money in 2020. You can claim any difference on your next tax return.
Do I have to file a tax return to claim a stimulus payment I missed?
Yes, you must file a tax return to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit. You can file even if you do not normally have to file taxes. The IRS will process your return and send you the stimulus money you are owed, usually within four to six weeks.
If I received stimulus payments, do I have to report them as income on my taxes?
No. Stimulus payments are not considered income and do not have to be reported on your tax return. They do not affect your tax refund or the amount of taxes you owe.
Can I claim the Recovery Rebate Credit if I already received all three stimulus payments?
Only if you received less than the full amount you were owed in any round. If you received the correct amount for each round based on your income and filing status, you cannot claim the credit. The credit is only for payments you did not receive or received in a reduced amount.