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$1,400 Stimulus Check Deadline Is Approaching
As the April 15, 2025, tax deadline approaches, millions of dollars in pandemic stimulus relief are still unclaimed – and time is almost up. The third pandemic stimulus check, worth up to $1,400 per person under the American Rescue Plan, can still be claimed by eligible Americans who missed out, but only if they file a 2023 tax return by the deadline.
Most taxpayers eligible for economic impact payments, known as stimulus checks, have already received them. However, some eligible individuals did not file a 2023 tax return and could still qualify for payment. For these Americans, this Tax Day is essentially a last chance to receive their long-awaited stimulus money or any other 2023 tax refund before it’s forfeited to the U.S. Treasury.
Unclaimed Stimulus Check Payments
The stimulus check dollars are a holdover from the three rounds of pandemic relief distributed in 2020 and 2023. While most eligible people received those payments — the first for $1,200, the second for $600, and a third for $1,400 — directly or later claiming a tax credit, not everyone got the full amount they were due. Some filed their 2023 taxes without claiming the Recovery Rebate Credit — the tax credit for missing stimulus funds — perhaps due to confusion or a simple oversight. Others never filed a 2023 return, often because they had little or no income and weren’t required to file taxes. Unfortunately, by not filing, those individuals missed out on the third stimulus check entirely.
The IRS took an unusual step late last year: It reviewed internal data. It identified about 1 million taxpayers eligible for the third stimulus but did not claim the credit on their 2023 return. In December 2024, the agency automatically issued special payments to those people. These automatic catch-up payments — totaling roughly $2.4 billion — were sent by direct deposit or paper check and should have arrived by January 2025. Taxpayers who qualified in that group also received an IRS notice by mail. This automatic fix covered people who did file a 2023 return but overlooked the stimulus credit.
However, there’s another group left out: those who never filed a 2023 tax return in the first place. The IRS can’t send them payments automatically because the agency has no 2023 return on file. If you’re in this category, you may still be eligible to get the up to $1,400 payment — but you must take action by filing a 2023 return before or on April 15, 2025. This requirement applies even if you have no or very low income in 2023. As the IRS emphasizes, “Eligible taxpayers who did not file must file a tax return to claim a Recovery Rebate Credit, even if their income … was minimal or non-existent.” In other words, even if you weren’t obligated to file taxes, you should file a 2023 return now to claim any stimulus money you’re owed.
Who Is Eligible For A Stimulus Check And How To Claim The Stimulus Payment
Eligibility for this stimulus check generally mirrors the original qualifications for the third round of Economic Impact Payments. You must have been a U.S. resident in 2023 with a valid Social Security number and not claimed as a dependent on someone else’s 2023 return. Income limits also apply: the full $1,400 was available to single filers with adjusted gross income up to $75,000 (and joint filers up to $150,000), with payments phasing out above those thresholds.
Claiming the payment is done by filing a 2023 federal tax return and claiming the Recovery Rebate Credit for the amount you’re owed. If you haven’t filed for 2023, you should prepare and submit a 2023 Form 1040 tax return before April 15, 2025. You’ll enter the Recovery Rebate Credit on the tax form’s appropriate line (line 30 on the 2023 Form 1040). The IRS has an online account system and other resources to help you determine how much stimulus you have already received and calculate any remaining credit.
No Stimulus Check Extension: April 15 Is A Hard Deadline
It’s important to understand that April 15, 2025, is the firm cutoff for these stimulus check claims. By law, taxpayers have a three-year window to claim a refund or credit from a past tax year, as NPR notes. For 2023 returns, that window closes on April 15, 2025 – after that date, any unclaimed stimulus or refund money becomes the property of the U.S. Treasury. There will be no extensions or second chances for those who miss this deadline. In short, failing to act by April 15 means forfeiting your $1,400 stimulus relief.
The Upshot On The $1,400 Stimulus Check
The clock is ticking on the third stimulus check rebate. If you or someone you know didn’t get that $1,400 pandemic relief payment, Tax Day 2025 is the absolute last chance to claim it