What the IRS Get My Payment tool does

Get My Payment is an IRS tool that shows you the status of a refund, stimulus payment, or other money the IRS sent to you. It tells you whether the payment was processed, when it was sent, and how it was delivered — by direct deposit to your bank account or by mail as a check or debit card. You access it on the IRS website at irs.gov/payments.

The tool works for refunds from your tax return, Economic Impact Payments (stimulus checks from 2020, 2021, and 2022), Child Tax Credit advance payments, and other direct payments from the IRS. It does not track payments you made to the IRS — only money coming to you.

The tool updates once per day, usually overnight. If you just filed your return or the IRS just processed a payment, you may not see it in Get My Payment for a day or two. Checking multiple times in the same day will show the same information.

Key Takeaways

  • Get My Payment shows the status of refunds, stimulus payments, and other IRS payments sent to you, but only after the IRS has processed them.
  • You need your Social Security number, date of birth, and filing status from your most recent tax return to log in.
  • The tool updates once daily and may not show a payment for one or two days after the IRS processes it.
  • If Get My Payment says your payment was sent but you did not receive it, contact your bank first, then the IRS if the bank has no record.
  • You cannot use Get My Payment to change your payment method or bank account — you can only view the status of payments already sent.

How to access Get My Payment

Go to irs.gov/payments and select "Get My Payment." You will need to enter your Social Security number, date of birth, and filing status (single, married filing jointly, married filing separately, or head of household) from your most recent tax return. The IRS uses this information to verify your identity.

After you log in, the tool shows the status of your payment. The status will say one of three things: "Status Not Available" (the IRS has not yet processed a payment for you), "Scheduled" (a payment is coming on a specific date), or "Sent" (the payment was already delivered). If the status is "Sent," the tool also shows the date it was sent and the method — direct deposit, check, or debit card.

You do not need to create an account or log in with a username and password. Each time you visit, you enter your information fresh. The IRS does not store your login details on the site.

What to do if Get My Payment shows "Status Not Available"

"Status Not Available" means the IRS has not yet processed a payment for you, or the information you entered does not match IRS records. First, double-check that you entered your Social Security number, date of birth, and filing status correctly. A single wrong digit will cause the tool to show no results.

If your information is correct and you filed a tax return, the payment may still be processing. The IRS typically processes refunds within 21 days of receiving your return, though it can take longer if your return requires review. If you filed more than 21 days ago, you can check the status of your refund using the "Where's My Refund?" tool, also on irs.gov.

If you are looking for a stimulus payment from 2020, 2021, or 2022 and Get My Payment shows no status, the payment may have been sent before you checked. Contact your bank to see if the deposit arrived under a different name or account. If you never received the payment and your bank has no record, you can claim it on your next tax return as a Recovery Rebate Credit.

What to do if Get My Payment says the payment was sent but you did not receive it

If Get My Payment shows "Sent" but the money never arrived in your bank account or mailbox, start by contacting your bank. Ask them to search their records for a deposit from the IRS using the date shown in Get My Payment. Banks sometimes deposit money under a different name or to a different account if the routing number or account number was incorrect.

If your bank has no record of the deposit, the payment may have been sent to an old bank account. This happens when you filed your tax return with an old account number and did not update it before the IRS processed the payment. In this case, contact the bank where the payment was sent and ask them to help you recover it. You may also need to file a claim with the IRS.

If the payment was sent by check or debit card and you did not receive it, wait 15 business days from the date shown in Get My Payment before contacting the IRS. Mail can take time to arrive. After 15 business days, call the IRS at 800-829-1040 to report the missing payment.

Why Get My Payment sometimes does not show recent payments

Get My Payment updates once per day, usually between midnight and 1 a.m. Eastern time. If the IRS processed your payment yesterday, you may not see it in Get My Payment until the next day's update. This is normal and does not mean anything is wrong.

Some payments also take longer to process than others. A refund from a straightforward tax return may show up in Get My Payment within a few days, while a return with errors or missing information can take weeks. The IRS also prioritizes certain payments — for example, stimulus payments were processed in batches over several weeks in 2020 and 2021.

If you are checking Get My Payment for a refund and it still shows "Status Not Available" after 21 days, use the "Where's My Refund?" tool instead. That tool has more detailed information about refunds in progress and can tell you if the IRS is reviewing your return.

What you cannot do with Get My Payment

Get My Payment only shows you the status of payments the IRS has already sent or scheduled. You cannot use it to change your bank account, request a different payment method, or stop a payment that is scheduled. Once the IRS has processed a payment, the method and destination are locked in.

If you need to update your bank account information for a future refund, you can do that when you file your next tax return. If you filed a return and want to change the account where your refund will be sent before it is processed, you must contact the IRS directly at 800-829-1040.

Get My Payment also does not show payments you made to the IRS, such as estimated tax payments or payments made through a payment processor. To track payments you sent to the IRS, use the "View Your Tax Account" tool on irs.gov or call the IRS.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I check someone else's payment status with Get My Payment?

No. Get My Payment requires the Social Security number and date of birth of the person receiving the payment. You can only check the status of your own payment or a payment for someone whose information you have and whose permission you have to look up. Parents can check their children's stimulus payments if they have their Social Security numbers.

Why does Get My Payment say my payment was sent to a bank account I do not recognize?

This usually means you filed your tax return with an old bank account number and did not update it before the IRS processed the payment. Contact that bank immediately and ask if the deposit arrived. If it did, you can transfer the money to your current account. If it did not, ask the bank to help you trace it or file a claim with the IRS.

How long does it take for a payment to show up in Get My Payment after I file my return?

The IRS typically processes returns within 21 days, but Get My Payment may not show your payment for a few days after that. If you filed more than 21 days ago and Get My Payment still shows no status, use the "Where's My Refund?" tool for more details about where your refund is in the process.

What if I filed my return but Get My Payment says my information does not match?

Double-check that you entered your Social Security number, date of birth, and filing status exactly as they appear on your tax return. Even a small error will cause the tool to show no results. If your information is correct and the tool still does not find a match, your return may not have been processed yet, or there may be an error on your return that the IRS is reviewing.

Can I use Get My Payment to see if I am owed a stimulus payment I never received?

Get My Payment only shows payments the IRS has already processed. If you never received a stimulus payment from 2020, 2021, or 2022, Get My Payment may show "Status Not Available" because the payment was already sent. Check with your bank first. If the payment was never sent or lost, you can claim it as a Recovery Rebate Credit on your next tax return.