The fastest way to get your 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit (sent as a tax refund) is to file taxes electronically on the IRS website and have it direct deposited into your financial account. You can use a bank account, prepaid debit card, or alternative financial products for your direct deposit. You will need to provide routing and account numbers.
Note: undocumented immigrants and other non-citizens who do not have a SSN and file individual tax returns are ineligible for any of the federal stimulus payments, though some states have their own payments specifically for undocumented immigrants.
For more information and instructions on how to start claiming your 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit, click here.
You should not call the IRS, so if you have any questions about your eligibility, answers can be found here. While conversations about a potential fourth stimulus check are currently happening, some people in the U.S. still haven’t received their first three rounds of payment. We don’t yet know what Congress will decide about future payments, but fortunately, there is still a way for eligible individuals, couples, and families to get the missing money from the first two rounds. Each round of checks was slightly different and there have been changes to eligibility, specifically for mixed-status families, so here’s what to know:
What to know about the first stimulus check:
Sent out in March 2020, the first check maxed out at $1,200 per person or $2,400 per couple and $500 per dependents aged 16 years old and younger.
Citizens and non citizens with social security numbers initially qualified for the first check.
Single people making under $75,000 annually, head of households making under $112,000, and married couples making under $150,000 qualified for the maximum amounts mentioned above.
Married couples and households where one person did not have a social security number were previously disqualified from receiving the first check. Now, they are able to receive this check retroactively and automatically qualify for the third check.
If you, your spouse, or children are non-citizens, but at least one person has a SSN, the 2020 Recovery Rebate program will be able to provide the missing money from any previous stimulus checks.
What to know about the second stimulus check:
Sent out in December 2020, the second check maxed out at $600 per person and $600 per dependents aged 16 years old and younger.
Citizens and non citizens with social security numbers also qualified for the second check.
Single people making under $75,000 annually, head of households making under $112,000, and married couples making under $150,000 qualified for the maximum amounts mentioned above.
Married couples and households where one person did not have a social security number previously disqualified them from receiving the second check. Now, they are able to receive this check retroactively and automatically qualify for the third check.
What to know about the third stimulus check:
For many people, third stimulus checks are still on their way and will continue to be sent out until December this year. Checks are for $1,400 plus an additional $1,400 per dependent, including adult dependents. The good news is that mixed-status families, meaning families with at least one person with a social security number, automatically qualify to receive this round of checks.
Here’s more information:
Do Non-Citizens Qualify to Receive the Third Stimulus Check?
Third Stimulus Checks are Still on Their Way. Here’s What to Know if You Haven’t Received Yours
IRS Get My Payment too
If you were eligible for the first and second stimulus checks and did not receive them or received less than the amount you qualified for, you can still claim the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit to receive the money.
In order to do this:
You must file a 2020 tax return, even if you normally aren’t required to file. The deadline to file taxes is May 17, 2021. Anyone with an income under $72,000 can file their taxes for free with the IRS Free File Program. Extensions are available until October 15. Read more about that here.
You must know the amount of any first and second stimulus checks you already received. Check bank statements, old mail, or visit the IRS website to see what records they have for your profile.
