Economic Impact Payments Are No Longer Available

The IRS stopped issuing Economic Impact Payments in 2021. These were one-time cash transfers sent to individuals and families during the COVID-19 pandemic. Three rounds of payments went out between March 2020 and January 2021, and no new payments have been issued since then.

If you did not receive a payment you believe you were owed, or if you received one but lost the money or never cashed the check, the IRS has closed the window for new distributions. However, you may still have options depending on your situation.

Key Takeaways

  • Three rounds of Economic Impact Payments were sent out: the first in spring 2020 ($1,200 per adult), the second in late 2020 ($600 per adult), and the third in early 2021 ($1,400 per adult).
  • If you did not receive a payment you were owed, you can claim the Recovery Rebate Credit on your tax return for the years you missed payments.
  • Uncashed checks from 2020 or 2021 cannot be reissued by the IRS, but you may be able to deposit them if they have not expired.
  • The IRS will not send replacement payments or issue new payments under this program, even if you were ineligible at the time but are now in a different situation.

How Much Each Round Paid and Who Received It

The first payment, issued starting in March 2020, sent $1,200 to each adult and $500 to each dependent child. The second round, which began in December 2020, sent $600 per adult and $600 per child. The third round, distributed from March through December 2021, sent $1,400 per adult and $1,400 per child.

Payments went to people who filed a 2019 or 2020 tax return, received Social Security or railroad retirement benefits, or filed a Veterans Affairs form. The IRS used income thresholds to determine who received the full amount: the payments began to reduce for single filers earning over $75,000, heads of household over $112,500, and joint filers over $150,000. People earning above certain caps received nothing.

Payments were sent by direct deposit if the IRS had your bank account on file, by paper check if not, or by debit card in some cases. The IRS also issued payments to people in prison, people who had died, and some people who were not U.S. citizens — these were later recovered through tax offsets or other means.

Claiming a Payment You Never Received

If you did not receive one or more of the three payments and believe you were owed them, you can claim the Recovery Rebate Credit on your federal tax return. This credit lets you recover the money as a tax refund or credit against what you owe.

To claim the credit, file a tax return for the year in which you missed the payment. If you normally do not file because your income is too low, you should still file to claim this credit. You will need to report how much you received and how much you believe you were owed, and the IRS will calculate the difference.

The deadline to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit is the normal tax filing deadline for that year, plus three years. For the first two rounds of payments (2020), you could claim them on your 2020 tax return filed by April 15, 2021, or on your 2021 return filed by April 15, 2022. For the third round (2021), you claim it on your 2021 return. After those windows close, you lose the right to claim the credit.

What to Do If You Have an Uncashed Check

Paper checks from the Economic Impact Payment program were valid for one year from the date of issue. If you have a check from 2020 or early 2021 that you never deposited, it may have expired. You can still try to deposit it at your bank, but the bank is not required to accept it.

The IRS will not reissue expired checks or send replacement payments. If your check is no longer valid, your only option is to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit on your tax return. Bring the check to a tax preparer or keep it as documentation of the amount you are claiming.

If you lost the check or never received it in the first place, you still cannot get a replacement. The IRS closed the payment distribution system and does not issue new checks for this program.

If You Received a Payment by Mistake

Some people received payments they were not supposed to get — for example, people who had died, people who were not citizens, or people whose income exceeded the limit. The IRS has been recovering these payments through tax refund offsets, meaning they subtract the amount owed from future tax refunds.

If you received a payment you believe was a mistake, you do not need to contact the IRS to return it voluntarily. The IRS will identify the overpayment through its records and will offset it against your future refunds. If you want to repay it anyway, you can send a check to the IRS, but this is not required and will not speed up the process.

If the IRS has already offset your refund and you believe the offset was wrong, you can dispute it by filing a claim with the IRS or by working with a tax professional.

Other Cash Assistance Programs That May Still Be Available

Economic Impact Payments were temporary. If you need financial help now, other programs may be available depending on where you live and your situation. These include emergency rental assistance, utility bill assistance, food programs, and local emergency funds.

You can search for current programs through 211.org, your local city or county government website, or your state's social services department. These programs have different rules, income limits, and application processes than the Economic Impact Payments did.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I still get an Economic Impact Payment if I did not receive one?

No, the IRS is not issuing new payments. You can claim the Recovery Rebate Credit on your tax return to recover the money as a refund or credit. You must file a return for the year you missed the payment, and you have three years from the filing deadline to claim it.

What if I received a payment but spent it and now owe it back?

You do not owe the money back unless you were ineligible to receive it in the first place. If you were may be able to access based on your income and status at the time, the payment was yours to keep. The IRS does not require repayment from people who received payments they were may have access to to.

Can the IRS reissue a check that expired?

No. Checks from 2020 and 2021 are no longer valid. You cannot get a replacement check. Your only option is to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit on your tax return for that year.

Do I have to report the Economic Impact Payment as income?

No. Economic Impact Payments are not taxable income and do not count as income for most benefit programs. You do not report them on your tax return as income, though you do report how much you received when claiming the Recovery Rebate Credit if you missed a payment.

What if I was not a U.S. citizen when the payments were issued?

Noncitizens were not may be able to access for Economic Impact Payments. If you received one by mistake, the IRS will recover it through tax refund offsets. If you are now a citizen or permanent resident and need financial help, contact your local social services office to learn about programs you may be able to access now.