When do we get third stimulus check

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If you haven’t received your third stimulus payment or got a partial amount and you’re entitled to more, the IRS is giving you another chance—but time is running out to claim it.

In January, the IRS announced that all third stimulus payments had been issued. But some taxpayers can still claim the payment on their 2021 tax return. The deadline to file your 2021 taxes is April 18.

More than 175 million third stimulus payments, totaling over $400 billion, were sent out starting in March 2021 as part of the American Rescue Plan Act.

How to Claim Your Missing Third Stimulus Payment on Your 2021 Tax Return

You’ll need to request any missing third stimulus payments on your 2021 tax return by claiming the Recovery Rebate Tax Credit.

This is the case if you received a partial amount (less than the full stimulus payment amount of $1,400) or didn’t previously qualify for the third stimulus payment.

Let’s say you’re single and your income for the 2020 and 2019 tax years exceeds the threshold (which we’ll discuss later). However, you lost your job in 2021, so your income drastically decreased. You can now claim the Recovery Rebate Tax Credit since your earnings fell below the threshold.

Families that added dependents (for example, you had or adopted a child) may also be able to claim the credit.

In addition, a few lingering taxpayers who file taxes using ITINs may not have received payments for their eligible dependents who have Social Security numbers.

You need to complete the Recovery Rebate Tax Credit worksheet and submit it along with your 2021 tax return. If you use a tax software program, it should guide you through the process. Keep in mind, the IRS predicted a frustrating and slow tax season this year, so file your return as soon as possible.

Before completing the worksheet, you must know the amount of any third stimulus payments received for you, your spouse, and any dependents. The worksheet will also request your adjusted gross income (AGI) for the year to determine your eligibility.

If you’re unsure of the amount of your third stimulus payment, you should review your IRS online account or use the Get My Payment app. You can also refer to your Notice 1444-C, a letter sent by the IRS to recipients, which shows the third stimulus payment amount for 2021.

The IRS started mailing Letter 6475 to taxpayers in January—the letter confirms the total amount of the third stimulus payments received for the 2021 tax year.

After you determine your correct recovery rebate credit amount, you’ll need to report it on line 30 of your 2021 tax return.

Unlike direct stimulus payments, where payments were issued directly by the federal government to eligible people, the Recovery Rebate Tax Credit will either reduce any taxes owed or increase your tax refund.

What to Do If You Can’t Find Your Stimulus Check

If your IRS online account shows that you should have received a stimulus payment, but you didn’t get it, there’s a chance it could have been lost in the mail. Or you might have thrown away the prepaid debit card you received.

If you lost your stimulus check or suspect it was stolen, you can request the IRS trace your payment. If the IRS determines your check hasn’t been cashed, it will issue a credit to your account. It can’t reissue your payment, but you can claim the payment on your 2021 tax return using the Recovery Rebate Tax Credit worksheet.

If a trace is initiated and the IRS determines that the check wasn’t cashed, the IRS will credit your account for that payment. However, the IRS can’t reissue your payment. Instead, you will need to claim the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit on your 2021 tax return if eligible.

If you lost your EIP card, a prepaid debit card on which some individuals received their stimulus payment, contact card issuer MetaBank to request a replacement.

Who Qualifies for the Third Stimulus Payments?

Generally, if you’re a U.S. citizen (or U.S. resident alien) and not a dependent of another taxpayer, you qualify for the full third stimulus payment. In addition, your adjusted gross income (AGI) can’t exceed:

  • $150,000 for married filing jointly
  • $112,500 for heads of household
  • $75,000 for single filers

A partial payment may be available if your income exceeds the thresholds. However, you will not receive any payment if your AGI is at least:

  • $160,000 for married filing jointly
  • $120,000 for heads of household
  • $80,000 for single filers

The full amount of the third stimulus payment is $1,400 per person ($2,800 for married couples filing a joint tax return) and an additional $1,400 for each qualifying dependent.

IR-2021-54, March 12, 2021

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service announced today that the third round of Economic Impact Payments will begin reaching Americans over the next week.

Following approval of the American Rescue Plan Act, the first batch of payments will be sent by direct deposit, which some recipients will start receiving as early as this weekend, and with more receiving this coming week.

Additional batches of payments will be sent in the coming weeks by direct deposit and through the mail as a check or debit card. The vast majority of these payments will be by direct deposit.

No action is needed by most taxpayers; the payments will be automatic and, in many cases, similar to how people received the first and second round of Economic Impact Payments in 2020. People can check the  Get My Payment tool on IRS.gov on Monday to see the payment status of the third stimulus payment.

"Even though the tax season is in full swing, IRS employees again worked around the clock to quickly deliver help to millions of Americans struggling to cope with this historic pandemic," said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. "The payments will be delivered automatically to taxpayers even as the IRS continues delivering regular tax refunds. We urge people to visit IRS.gov for the latest details on the stimulus payments, other new tax law provisions and tax season updates."

Highlights of the third round of Economic Impact Payments; IRS will automatically calculate amounts

In general, most people will get $1,400 for themselves and $1,400 for each of their qualifying dependents claimed on their tax return. As with the first two Economic Impact Payments in 2020, most Americans will receive their money without having to take any action. Some Americans may see the direct deposit payments as pending or as provisional payments in their accounts before the official payment date of March 17.

Because these payments are automatic for most eligible people, contacting either financial institutions or the IRS on payment timing will not speed up their arrival. Social Security and other federal beneficiaries will generally receive this third payment the same way as their regular benefits. A payment date for this group will be announced shortly.

The third round of Economic Impact Payments (EIP3) will be based on the taxpayer's latest processed tax return from either 2020 or 2019. This includes anyone who successfully registered online at IRS.gov using the agency's Non-Filers tool last year, or alternatively, submitted a special simplified tax return to the IRS. If the IRS has received and processed a taxpayer's 2020 return, the agency will instead make the calculation based on that return.

In addition, the IRS will automatically send EIP3 to people who didn't file a return but receive Social Security retirement, survivor or disability benefits (SSDI), Railroad Retirement benefits, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Veterans Affairs benefits. This is similar to the first and second rounds of Economic Impact Payments, often referred to as EIP1 and EIP2.

For those who received EIP1 or EIP2 but don't receive a payment via direct deposit, they will generally receive a check or, in some instances, a prepaid debit card (referred to as an "EIP Card). A payment will not be added to an existing EIP card mailed for the first or second round of stimulus payments.

Under the new law, an EIP3 cannot be offset to pay various past-due federal debts or back taxes.

The IRS reminds taxpayers that the income levels in this new round of stimulus payments have changed. This means that some people won't be eligible for the third payment even if they received a first or second Economic Impact Payment or claimed a 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit. Payments will begin to be reduced for individuals making $75,000 or above in Adjusted Gross Income ($150,000 for married filing jointly.) The reduced payments end at $80,000 for individuals ($160,000); people above these levels are ineligible for a payment. More information is available on IRS.gov.

New payments differ from earlier Economic Impact Payments

The third round of stimulus payments, those authorized by the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act, differs from the earlier payments in several respects: