E-Paper
Can you still claim your Covid-era stimulus check? See eligibility and refund status
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the govt issued stimulus checks up to $1,400 to assist families. Unclaimed payments could be requested via the IRS 2021 tax return
During the COVID-19 pandemic, stimulus checks worth up to $1,400 per beneficiary and dependent had been issued by the government to help families cope with the situation. Those who had missed out on claiming their payment were given the option of claiming this money through the Internal Revenue Service’s 2021 tax return in the form of Recovery Rebate Credit, using Form 1040 or 1040-SR, as reported by Markets Today.
ALSO READ| Covid-19, Stratus, in US: Which states are affected by the new variant? Here's a full list
Can I still claim the check?
The deadline to file for the 2021 tax return passed on April 15, 2025, which marked a three-year end to claim the $1,400 Recovery Rebate Credit for that year. If you failed to file your tax returns by this deadline, all unclaimed stimulus payments would now have become the property of the US Treasury.
The first stimulus payment was issued in March and April 2020, followed by a second payment issued on January 15, 2021, and a third check issued between March and December 2021. As of now, there is no formal update on a fourth stimulus check being circulated despite discussions by top government professionals like President Trump and Republican Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri.
Eligibility criteria
Certain established criteria determine whether a US citizen or resident is eligible to receive a federal refund on taxes, such as the beneficiary must not be dependent on someone else’s tax returns. According to the official website of the US Department of the Treasury, “Normally, a taxpayer will qualify for the full amount of Economic Impact Payment if they have AGI of up to $75,000 for singles and married persons filing a separate return, up to $112,500 for heads of household, and up to $150,000 for married couples filing joint returns and surviving spouses. Payment amounts are reduced for eligible individuals with AGI above those levels.”
How can I check my refund status?
“Where’s My Refund” is an online portal used by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to help applicants check the status of their refund digitally. The platform requires viewers to enter their Social Security Number, filing status, and exact refund amount on the return. This can be done 24 hours after e-filing your returns, and the website will respond with a return received (processing), refund approved (preparing to issue a refund by the date shown), or refund sent (sent to your bank or in the mail) prompt.
ALSO READ| ‘Stratus’ variant in US: Map shows rising Covid cases as national test positivity rate increases
In case of any queries, you can directly reach out to the IRS at 800-829-1954. According to the IRS schedule for payments, a direct deposit federal refund should have reached you by May 6, while one by mail may have taken till June 16 in this regard.
Stuti Gupta contributed to this story
