Where to Check Your Stimulus Payment

The IRS has a tool called Get My Payment that shows you whether a stimulus payment was sent to you, when it was sent, and how it was delivered. You can access it on the IRS website at irs.gov/coronavirus/get-my-payment. The tool works for all three rounds of stimulus payments issued between 2020 and 2021.

When you enter Get My Payment, you will need your Social Security number, date of birth, and street address. The tool will tell you one of three things: that a payment was issued and the date it was sent, that a payment is pending and will arrive by a certain date, or that no payment record exists for you. The information updates once per day, usually overnight.

If you do not see a payment in Get My Payment but believe you should have received one, the next step depends on when the payment was supposed to arrive. Payments sent by direct deposit typically arrived within two to four business days. Payments sent by mail took two to three weeks. If that window has passed, you may need to take additional steps to locate the money or report it missing.

Key Takeaways

  • Use the IRS Get My Payment tool at irs.gov/coronavirus/get-my-payment to see the status, date, and delivery method of each stimulus payment you received.
  • Direct deposit payments arrived within two to four business days; mailed checks took two to three weeks from the date shown in Get My Payment.
  • If a payment shows as issued but you never received it, contact your bank (for direct deposit) or file a claim with the IRS (for a lost check).
  • If Get My Payment shows no record of a payment but you think you should have received one, you may need to file a tax return or amended return to claim it.
  • The IRS processes stimulus payment claims through your tax return, not through a separate process process.

What to Do If Your Direct Deposit Payment Never Arrived

If Get My Payment shows your stimulus was sent by direct deposit but the money never appeared in your bank account, contact your bank first. Ask them to search their records for a deposit from the U.S. Department of Treasury on the date shown in Get My Payment. Banks sometimes reject deposits if the account was closed, if the routing number changed, or if there was a data mismatch between what the IRS had on file and what the bank's system shows.

If your bank confirms they never received the deposit, you will need to file a claim with the IRS. The way to do this is through your tax return. If you have not yet filed your 2020 or 2021 return (depending on which stimulus you are missing), you can claim the payment as a Recovery Rebate Credit when you file. If you have already filed, you will need to file an amended return using Form 1040-X to add the credit.

The IRS does not have a separate form to report a missing stimulus payment. The Recovery Rebate Credit is how you tell the IRS you did not receive money you were may have access to to, and it results in a refund or credit to your account. Processing an amended return typically takes four to six weeks, though it can take longer during tax season.

How to Claim a Lost or Undelivered Check

If Get My Payment shows your stimulus was mailed to you but you never received the check, wait at least two weeks from the date shown before taking action. Mail delivery times vary, and checks sometimes arrive later than expected. If two weeks have passed and the check has not arrived, contact the IRS at 800-829-1040 to report it missing.

When you call, have your Social Security number, the address where the check was supposed to be sent, and the date shown in Get My Payment ready. The IRS can issue a replacement check, but the process takes time. You may be asked to wait an additional two weeks to see if the original check arrives before they issue a replacement, since two checks arriving could create confusion when you try to deposit them.

If you moved after the check was mailed, contact the post office for your old address and ask them to search for mail in your name. You can also file a change of address with USPS and ask them to forward any government mail. Once you locate the check or receive a replacement, you can deposit it normally at your bank.

If Get My Payment Shows No Record of a Payment

If you search Get My Payment and see no record of any stimulus payment, it does not necessarily mean you were not may have access to to one. The tool only shows payments the IRS actually sent. If you did not file a tax return for the year in question, the IRS may not have had your information on file and could not have sent you a payment automatically.

To claim a stimulus payment you did not receive, you must file a tax return for that year. When you file, you will claim the Recovery Rebate Credit on your return. This credit is worth $1,200 per adult and dependent for the first stimulus (2020), $600 per person for the second stimulus (2020), and $1,400 per person for the third stimulus (2021). The credit reduces your tax bill or increases your refund by that amount.

If you have already filed a return for that year but did not claim the credit, you can file an amended return using Form 1040-X to add it. You will need to include documentation showing you were may have access to to the payment — typically a copy of your prior-year tax return or proof of income. The IRS will review your amended return and issue a refund or credit if you may have access to.

What Information You Need to Gather

Before you contact the IRS or file a return, collect the following information: your Social Security number, your date of birth, the address where the payment was supposed to be sent or deposited, and the date shown in Get My Payment for when the payment was issued. If the payment was supposed to go to a bank account, have your bank account number and routing number ready so you can verify with your bank whether they received it.

If you are filing a return or amended return to claim the credit, you will also need your prior-year tax return (if you did not file for the year in question, you will need proof of income such as W-2s or 1099s). Keep copies of any correspondence from the IRS about the stimulus, including letters or notices you received in the mail. These documents help prove your case if there is a dispute about whether you received the payment.

Common Reasons Stimulus Payments Were Not Sent

The IRS could not send a stimulus payment if you did not file a tax return and had no income record on file. The IRS used tax returns from 2019 and 2020 to identify who should receive payments. If you had no return on file and no income reported to the IRS, you were not in their system and did not receive an automatic payment.

Payments were also not sent to people who were claimed as dependents on someone else's return, people with certain immigration statuses, and people with outstanding tax debts or child support obligations (though rules varied by state and changed between the three rounds of stimulus). If any of these situations applied to you, Get My Payment would show no payment, but you may still have been may have access to to claim the credit on your own return if your circumstances changed.

Some people received payments but did not realize it because the money went to an old bank account that was closed or to an address where they no longer lived. This is why checking with your bank and the post office is important even if Get My Payment shows a payment was sent.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to get a replacement stimulus check?

The IRS typically issues a replacement check within two to four weeks of your request, though it can take longer. You may be asked to wait an additional two weeks to confirm the original check did not arrive before they send a replacement. Once issued, the check takes another two to three weeks to arrive by mail.

Can I deposit a stimulus check if I find it years later?

Yes. Stimulus checks do not expire. If you find a check from 2020 or 2021, you can deposit it at your bank at any time. Your bank may ask questions about the age of the check, but they are still valid. If the check is damaged or illegible, contact the IRS for a replacement.

What if I received a stimulus payment but I was not supposed to?

Contact the IRS at 800-829-1040 to report it. Do not spend the money. The IRS may ask you to return it, or they may offset it against a future refund or tax bill. Keeping money you were not may have access to to can result in penalties and interest.

Do I need to report stimulus payments as income on my tax return?

No. Stimulus payments are not taxable income and do not need to be reported on your return. They are a tax credit, not wages or other income.

What if Get My Payment is down or not working?

The tool occasionally goes offline for maintenance. Try again later, or call the IRS at 800-829-1040 to ask about your payment status. You can also check your bank account or mail to see if the payment arrived, since the tool may be behind on updates.