(NewsNation) — The deadline for taxpayers to claim the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit is just days away.
Forbes reported that millions of dollars in pandemic relief is still unclaimed. The third stimulus check from the COVID-19 pandemic is worth up to $1,400 per person and can still be claimed by those who might’ve missed out.
However, you do have to file a 2021 tax return before the deadline.
When is the deadline for stimulus checks?
April 15 is Tax Day for 2024 returns, and it is also the deadline to claim any tax refunds or credits from tax year 2021 — including the $1,400 Recovery Rebate Credit.
This deadline cannot be extended since, by law, all taxpayers have a three-year window to claim refunds or credits from a previous tax year, NPR reported. If you do not claim any stimulus money owed to you by the deadline, the money will be owned by the U.S. Treasury.
Am I eligible for the pandemic-era stimulus check?
To be eligible, you must have been a resident of the United States in 2021 with a valid Social Security number and not claimed as a dependent on someone else’s 2021 return.
Income limits also apply. Single filers qualify for the full $1,400 with an adjusted gross income up to $75,000. Married couples who filed jointly qualify for $2,800 with a combined adjusted gross income up to $150,000.
You may also be able to receive a stimulus check if they did not file a 2021 return, according to the IRS. You would need to back-file a tax return to claim the credit, even if your income from a job, business or other source was minimal or nonexistent.
Unclaimed stimulus checks: How did this happen?
According to Forbes, some individuals didn’t receive the final $1,400 stimulus payment because they had filed their 2021 taxes without claiming that Recovery Rebate Credit. Other people maybe didn’t file a return at all in 2021.
However, if you didn’t file, you would’ve missed out on the third stimulus check.
In 2024, IRS reviewed its internal data, according to Forbes. It found that around 1 million taxpayers who were eligible for that third stimulus didn’t claim the credit. In December, the IRS issued special payments to that group, with direct deposits or paper checks arriving by January 2025.
If you were eligible, you should’ve received a notice from the IRS in the mail. But this fix only covered those who filed a 2021 return, overlooking the stimulus credit. The IRS said, “Eligible taxpayers who did not file must file a tax return to claim a Recovery Rebate Credit, even if their income… was minimal or non-existent.”
How do I claim my stimulus check?
If you want to claim your stimulus check, you have to file a 2021 federal tax return and claim the Recovery Rebate Credit. If you never filed, you will need to submit a 2021 Form 1040 tax return before the deadline. The Recovery Rebate Credit should be inputted on line 30 of the 2021 Form 1040.
The IRS said checks will be mailed or deposited into the bank account provided with your 2023 return. A separate letter will be sent with a payment notification. The IRS also has resources on its website to determine how much stimulus you’ve received and find any missing credits.