Did i get my third stimulus check

In March 2021, President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act, which authorized a third round of federal stimulus checks worth up to $1,400 for each eligible person ($2,800 for couples), plus an additional amount of up to $1,400 for each dependent. The IRS issued all the third-round stimulus checks by the end of 2021, but eligible people who didn't receive a check last year can still get stimulus money by filing a 2021 tax return now and claiming the recovery rebate credit. (And some Americans will also get a state "stimulus check" this year.)

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However, not everyone who is eligible for a third stimulus check got the full amount (or will get the full amount through the recovery rebate credit). As with the first- and second-round payments, the third-round stimulus checks were reduced – or eliminated – for people with an income above a certain amount.

To see how large your third stimulus payment should have been, answer the three questions in the calculator below and we'll give you a customized estimate.

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Different Phase-Out Rate

Although the income levels at which third stimulus checks started to phase out (i.e., be reduced) were the same as the amounts used for the first two stimulus payments, the rate at which the phase-out occurred was different. As a result, you may not have gotten a third stimulus check even if you received payments in one or both of the first two rounds.

More Money for Certain Families

One big change with third stimulus checks was that an extra $1,400 was tacked on to your payment for any dependent in the family. For the first- and second-round payments, the additional amount allowed – $500 for first-round payments and $600 in the second round – was only given for dependent children age 16 or younger. As a result, families with older children, including college students age 23 or younger, or with elderly parents living with them, didn't get the extra money added to their previous stimulus payments. That's not the case for third-round stimulus checks.

Amount Based on 2019 or 2020 Tax Return

For third-round stimulus payments, eligibility and amounts were based on either your 2019 or 2020 return. If your 2020 tax return wasn't filed and processed by the IRS by the time the tax agency started processing your third stimulus payment, then the IRS used information from your 2019 tax return. If your 2020 return was already filed and processed when the IRS was ready to send your payment, then your stimulus check eligibility and amount was based on the information on your 2020 return. If your 2020 return was filed and/or processed after the IRS sent you a third stimulus check, but before December 1, 2021, the IRS sent you a second "plus-up" payment for the difference between what your payment should have been if based on your 2020 return and the payment actually sent based on your 2019 return. As a result, your third stimulus check may have been higher or lower depending on when you filed your 2020 tax return.

State Stimulus Checks in 2022

As mentioned earlier, many states are sending payments to their residents in 2022 to help with high inflation and other economic woes. For the most part, these payments come from a budget surplus or federal COVID-relief funds. To see if your state is sending (or has sent) a payment this year, see State "Stimulus Checks" in 2022.

Another way to find out more info on your third payment is to create an IRS account online. If you are sent a plus-up payment after your 2020 tax return is processed, you should see the amount of your plus-up payment with your online account. (The Get My Payment tool won't tell you the amount of your plus-up payment, but it might tell you its status.) 

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You may see a 'Payment Status Not Available' message

Don't be alarmed if the Get My Payment tool gives you a message that says "Payment Status Not Available." You may see this message until your payment is processed, according to the IRS. So you may not have to do anything.

But it could also mean you're not eligible for a payment. So you may want to double-check your eligibility and plug your numbers in our stimulus check calculator to see whether you're due money.

You may see a 'Need More Information' message

According to the IRS FAQ, a Need More Information message in the Get My Payment tool means your payment was returned because the US Postal Service wasn't able to deliver it.

The FAQ says you'll be able to have your payment reissued as a direct deposit by providing a bank routing and account number, a prepaid debit card (the card must be reloadable) or a financial service account that has a routing and account number associated with it. The FAQ says you can also update your mailing address to receive your payment.

The IRS tool might say your payment was sent to you

If the IRS' online tool says the agency has issued your stimulus money, but you have no record of it in your bank account and it never arrived in your mailbox, you may need to take one of these steps, including possibly filing a stimulus check payment trace. You'll need to have the letter the IRS sent you. 

USPS is a good way to track your paper check

If your third stimulus check is going out in the mail, the US Postal Service has a free app that can notify you when it's about to deliver your stimulus money from the IRS. Informed Delivery is a mail-tracking service that automatically scans your letters and alerts you to when they'll be delivered. Here's more on how to set up and use the letter-tracking service from the USPS to keep tabs on your payment.

Don't lose the IRS letter that confirms your stimulus payment 

If the IRS issues you a stimulus check, it sends a notice by mail to your last known address within 15 days after making the payment to confirm delivery. The letter contains information on when and how the payment was made and how to report it to the IRS if you didn't receive all the money you're entitled to. You'll need to reference this information if you don't receive your full payment and need to claim your money later. Here's how to recover the information if you lost or tossed the letter.

If the first two stimulus payments never showed up, do this

The IRS is no longer automatically sending out the first and second payments that were approved in 2020. If you believe you're still owed money from either of those payment rounds, your best chance of claiming those funds is to file for the Recovery Rebate Credit as part of the 2020 tax season. 

If you're eligible, you'll need to know the amount of money the IRS allotted you, which you can find out online or from the letter the agency mailed. The IRS said the updated Get My Payment tracker won't give you information on the first and second checks. Instead, you need to set up and check your IRS account for information on those payments.

What to know about adding your direct deposit details

You can't use the Get My Payment tool to sign up for a new account or correct details about your payment. Even if the IRS is unable to deliver your payment to a bank account and the money is returned to the government, you won't be able to correct the details online -- the IRS says it will send the money again by mail.