How can i claim my stimulus check

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government sent stimulus payments to millions of eligible Americans. Those stimulus payments, which were made from April 2020 to December 2021, included temporarily enhanced child tax credits that helped to reduce child poverty in the U.S. But it turns out that millions of people, including lower-income individuals and families, that are eligible for the COVID stimulus payments, and the enhanced child tax credit, haven’t received them.

Thankfully though, it’s not too late to get your missed stimulus payments. Depending on your circumstances, you can still file a 2021 tax return to find out if you’re eligible to get your stimulus payment, the 2021 child tax credit, or the earned income tax credit.

Can I Still Get a Stimulus Check?

If you think you’re eligible for a COVID stimulus payment or the 2021 child tax credit, and didn’t already receive those funds, you can file a simple tax return by visiting ChildTaxCredit.gov.

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But you’ll need to move quickly. That’s because if you’re not required to file a tax return, this year's deadline to file a simplified return is November 15. If you are required to file, but missed the April 18 filing deadline, you've missed the October 17, to file a tax return on ChildTaxCredit.gov and see if you’re eligible to receive a stimulus payment or child tax credit. 

However, if you don't owe taxes to the IRS, the IRS has said that you can still file your 2021 tax return, and claim the Child Tax Credit for the 2021 tax year, at any point until April 15, 2025. But because that can get confusing, it's probably best to file for the 2021 tax year as soon as you can.

According to the Government Accountability Office,  groups that were most likely to have missed out on pandemic relief stimulus payments or the child tax credit (or both), were people who never filed a tax return or who filed for the first time during the pandemic. The federal government also had difficulty getting stimulus checks and child tax credits to people without bank accounts or reliable internet access, and people who were experiencing homelessness in 2020 and 2021.

If the IRS had banking information on file, COVID stimulus payments were direct deposited. Other stimulus payments and child tax credits were mailed. So, if you didn’t receive stimulus money, or didn’t receive the third stimulus payment, you may be able to claim a recovery rebate credit on your 2021 tax return. 

IRS Free File Open Until November 17

To help get the word out about these tax benefits, the IRS announced on October 13, that it is sending letters to more than nine million individuals and families who appear to qualify for these stimulus benefits but did not claim them by filing a 2021 federal income tax return.

This includes people eligible not only for the 2021 recovery rebate credit and the child tax credit but also the earned income tax credit. The letters should arrive in the coming weeks.

Also, in addition to filing a 2021 tax return at ChildTaxCredit.gov, the IRS says that Free File will remain open for an until November 17, 2022. That’s one month later than the tool is normally available. If your income is $73,000 or less, Free File allows you to file your tax return online at no cost to you.

Who is Eligible for the Child Tax Credit 2021?

Eligible Americans with income below $75,000, or married couples with income below $150,000, were eligible for the full amount of three rounds of stimulus payments that were made by the federal government in 2020 and 2021. Those stimulus income limitations also applied to the enhanced child tax credit although partial child tax credits were available for people with higher incomes.

Advance payments of the enhanced child tax credits were sent to people from July to December 2021. The monthly payments were up to $250 or $300 per child, for a period of six months.

Are There Child Tax Credits for 2022?

Even though you can still file a 2021 tax return by November 15, to get your child tax credit (if you didn’t receive it), the enhanced 2021 child tax credit program has expired.

There is a chance that Congress could pass legislation to reinstate the enhanced child tax credit, but you’ll probably have to wait until after the November midterm elections to see if that happens.

Is There a Stimulus Check for 2022?

In addition to the pandemic relief stimulus payments and the 2021 child tax credit, you may have heard about so called 2022 stimulus checks. The 2022 stimulus checks are essentially rebates coming from various states—not pandemic stimulus payments from the federal government.

Why are states sending rebate checks? Because of pandemic relief funding, many states have extra cash on hand, and so are sending rebate checks to their residents in 2022. Some states like Virginia, and California, are sending those payments out now. But several other states will send rebates or have already sent them.

To learn more about 2022 state stimulus checks, see State "Stimulus Checks" in 2022.

With more than 20 years experience as an in-house legal counsel and business journalist, Kelley R. Taylor has contributed to numerous national print and digital magazines on key issues spanning education, law, health, finance, and tax. Kelley particularly enjoys translating complex information in ways that help empower people in their daily lives and work.

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