The IRS has made clear that there are no new federal stimulus checks slated for 2025. Any lingering claims relate to the Recovery Rebate Credit for stimulus payments from 2020 and 2021—if you didn’t receive or claim the full amount. While over a billion dollars in unclaimed funds were eligible, the deadline to file returns or amendments for the 2021 credit was April 15, 2025, and that window has closed for most taxpayers.
No New Federal Stimulus Payments
Rumors about fresh stimulus checks in 2025—for example, payments of $1,390—are incorrect. The three rounds of COVID-era “Economic Impact Payments” (one in 2020 for $1,200, another round for $600, and the third in 2021 for $1,400) have already been issued.The IRS has also confirmed that the Get My Payment tool is no longer usable to check stimulus payment status.
Who Could Have Claimed the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit
If you did not receive the full third Economic Impact Payment (or you didn’t claim the Recovery Rebate Credit for 2021), you might have been eligible to claim missing amounts—provided you filed a 2021 tax return or filed one by the deadline. The income thresholds for eligibility were also tied to your filing status: singles, heads of household, or joint filers. Dependents (for example, children under 17 with valid Social Security or ATIN) could factor in too.
Deadlines & What’s Passed
You needed to file or amend your 2021 return by April 15, 2025, if you wanted to claim any missing Recovery Rebate Credit tied to the third stimulus payment. That deadline has expired. After that date, for most people, the opportunity to get unclaimed 2021 stimulus funds is no longer available.
How to Check What You Got
You can log in to your IRS Online Account and view your tax records, which show the total amount of Economic Impact Payments (including the third payment) you received. Also, IRS Letter 6475 (mailed in 2022) shows what you got for your third payment. If you believe there was an error (for example, you left the credit line blank or reported zero), prior to the deadline, you could file an amended return (Form 1040-X) to correct that.
Step-by-Step Instructions to Check Payments
- Go to IRS.gov/account and sign in (or create an account using ID.me).
- After logging in, open Tax Records.
- Look for Economic Impact Payment Information to see details of your 1st, 2nd, and 3rd stimulus payments.
- Compare the amounts shown with what you expected.
- If you can’t access your account, request a tax transcript at IRS.gov/get-transcript or check IRS letters (1444 series / 6475).
Mistakes to Avoid & What No Longer Applies
Because the deadline has passed, claiming a missing 2021 stimulus check is no longer possible for those who didn’t take the action by April 15, 2025. The “Get My Payment” tool is not functional for checking payment status. Common errors included not filling in the Recovery Rebate Credit field or putting $0 when you were actually eligible. Those issues could have been corrected before the deadline but now are mostly historical.