You can track stimulus payments through the IRS website using your Social Security number, but the method depends on which stimulus round you're asking about and when you received it.

The IRS issued three rounds of Economic Impact Payments (stimulus checks) between 2020 and 2021. If you received one and want to know the status, amount, or payment method, the IRS's "Get My Payment" tool is the official way to look it up. You'll need your Social Security number, date of birth, and mailing address to search.

The catch: "Get My Payment" only works while a payment round is actively being processed. Once a stimulus round has ended, the tool closes and you can no longer use it to track that specific payment. If you're looking for information about a payment from years ago, you'll need a different approach.

Key Takeaways

  • The IRS's "Get My Payment" tool at irs.gov lets you check stimulus payment status using your Social Security number, but only while that payment round is active.
  • You will need your Social Security number, date of birth, and mailing address to search for a payment.
  • Once a stimulus round ends, the tracking tool closes; you can then check your tax records or contact the IRS directly for payment information.
  • If you never received a payment you believe you were owed, you can claim it on your tax return as a Recovery Rebate Credit.

How to use the IRS Get My Payment tool

Go to irs.gov and search for "Get My Payment." The tool will ask for your Social Security number, date of birth, and street address. Enter the information exactly as it appears on your tax return. The system will then show you the payment status, the amount, and how it was sent (direct deposit, check, or debit card).

The tool updates once per day, usually overnight. If you just received a payment or it was recently processed, you may need to check back the next day for updated information. The IRS does not send text messages or emails asking you to verify payment information through a link — any message like that is a scam.

What to do if Get My Payment is no longer available

Once the IRS closes a payment round, the Get My Payment tool stops working for that stimulus batch. If you're trying to track a payment from 2020 or 2021 and the tool no longer accepts searches, you have two options: check your tax records or contact the IRS.

Your tax return from the year the payment was issued will show the stimulus amount you received. If you filed taxes for 2020, your 2020 return will list the first two stimulus payments. Your 2021 return will show the third payment. You can view your tax transcript through your IRS account at irs.gov, or request one by mail or phone.

Contacting the IRS about a stimulus payment

If you need to speak with someone at the IRS about a stimulus payment, call the IRS customer service line at 1-800-829-1040. Have your Social Security number, date of birth, and tax return information ready. Wait times are often long, especially during tax season.

You can also create an account at irs.gov to view your tax transcripts and payment history online. This account requires identity verification through ID.me or another approved service. Once you're logged in, you can see which payments were issued to you and when.

If you never received a stimulus payment you think you were owed

If you believe you were owed a stimulus payment but never received it, you can claim it on your tax return as a Recovery Rebate Credit. This applies to all three stimulus rounds. You do not need to have received the payment to claim the credit — the credit is based on your income and filing status, not on whether the IRS actually sent you money.

To claim the credit, you'll file your tax return for the year the payment was supposed to be issued and report the amount you believe you were owed. The IRS will then either refund the difference or apply it to taxes you owe. You can only claim this credit once per stimulus round, and only for the amount you were actually owed based on your income.

Why the IRS might not have sent you a payment

The IRS used tax return information to determine who received stimulus payments. If you didn't file a tax return for the year a payment was issued, the IRS may not have had your information on file. Non-filers, people experiencing homelessness, and people with very low income sometimes fell through the cracks.

If you didn't receive a payment and didn't file taxes that year, you can still claim the Recovery Rebate Credit on a tax return filed later. You can file a return for a prior year even if you're past the normal filing deadline. The IRS will not penalize you for filing late if you're claiming a refund.

Stimulus payments sent to the wrong address or account

If the IRS sent your payment to an old address or to a bank account you no longer use, the check may have been returned to the IRS or the deposit may have been rejected. Checks returned to the IRS are held for a set period before being sent to the U.S. Treasury. If this happened to you, you can claim the Recovery Rebate Credit on your tax return instead of trying to locate the original payment.

If a payment was deposited to a closed bank account, contact your bank to ask if they returned it to the IRS. Some banks will hold returned deposits for a period of time. If the bank cannot locate it, again, the Recovery Rebate Credit is your remedy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I track a stimulus payment if I don't have a Social Security number?

The Get My Payment tool requires a Social Security number. If you don't have one, you can contact the IRS directly at 1-800-829-1040 with your Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) or other identifying information. You may also need to file a tax return to claim any stimulus amount you were owed through the Recovery Rebate Credit.

What if someone else received my stimulus payment?

If a payment was sent to the wrong person or account, contact the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 with details about what happened. The IRS can investigate and may be able to recover the payment. You can also claim the amount through the Recovery Rebate Credit on your tax return while the investigation is underway.

Do I need to report stimulus payments as income?

No. Stimulus payments are not taxable income and do not need to be reported on your tax return. However, if you did not receive a payment you were owed, you claim the Recovery Rebate Credit to receive it — that credit is not income either.

Can I check someone else's stimulus payment status with their Social Security number?

No. The Get My Payment tool is designed for the person whose Social Security number is being entered. You cannot look up another person's payment status unless you have legal authority to do so, such as power of attorney. If you're helping someone manage their finances, they should log in themselves or grant you formal authorization.