If you have not yet claimed your pandemic stimulus money, you may have one last chance to retrieve it — but it is happening very fast. After doing a check, the IRS has assured that there are more than 1.1 million Americans who still fit the criteria of the granting of Recovery Rebate Credits. They should hurry up and do so before the April 15, 2025, deadline.
While many struggle to get their tax returns filed this season, the opportunity to obtain the unclaimed relief is now accessible to a staggering number of eligible US citizens who did not even realize they were in the category. Here’s everything you need to know about who qualifies, how much you could receive, and how to make sure you don’t miss out.
Why Are $1,400 Stimulus Checks Still Available in 2025?
The remaining stimulus checks are the continuation of the Recovery Rebate Credit associated with the third round of Economic Impact Payments (more commonly known as stimulus checks) that were released in the COVID-19 pandemic period. Whereas the majority of the populace was automatically sent this amount in 2021, the IRS found that more than 1.1 million people had not claimed the payment because they either did not file a 2021 federal tax return or they did not receive credit when it was due.
In the last months of 2024, the IRS rechecked taxes and found some eligible individuals who had not yet claimed the benefit. To give the grant in a simplified manner, the IRS is now releasing these payments automatically to most eligible taxpayers. But those who have not filed the tax return for 2021 are still required to submit it by April 15, 2025, in order to get the payment.
Who Qualifies for the Final Round of Stimulus Checks?
Eligible recipients include:
- Individuals who did not receive a portion of their Recovery Rebate due to tax return processing issues.
- People who failed to seek the Recovery Rebate Credit on their 2021 tax return.
- Those whose 2021 income was too low that they didn’t file taxes but are now encouraged to do so to claim the benefit.
The IRS reiterated that even those who had little or no income in 2021 might be able to qualify for the payment, as there is no minimum income threshold for one to be eligible for the Recovery Rebate Credit.
How Much Can You Still Get?
The largest offer still stands at:
- $1,400 for single tax filers
- $2,800 for married couples filing jointly with an AGI of $150,000 or less
- An additional $1,400 for each qualifying dependent, irrespective of age
Nevertheless, the benefit is gradually diminished for those with large incomes:
- Single tax filers with income of $75,000 or higher
- Head of household tax filers with income of $112,500 or higher
- Married couples filing jointly with income of $150,000 or higher
People who made more than $160,000 as a couple or $80,000 as individuals won’t qualify for it.
Deadline is Fast Approaching
To be eligible to apply for the credit, colorectal cancer patients must file their 2021 federal tax returns by April 15, 2025 at the latest. These are the final days of the credit as the Recovery Rebate Credit will sunset permanently on this date.
Even if you are not normally required to file taxes or have had zero income in 2021, you must still file in order to get this money if you are eligible. The IRS has confirmed that late filers will be ineligible after April 15.
How Will the Payment Be Sent?
Automated payments both for missed stimulus money and other automatic credits to taxpayers who earlier received it but missed to claim the same where the IRS has recently opened a period for electronic filing is not any more a dream of the future. Simply mentioning the missed prints you can easily connect the business with direct deposit if your debit card or account is aligned with the service. Hence, you will be sent an e-payment text, the content of which will refer to the electronic check on your account.
Those who get the income tax credit will be notified of this by the IRS, who will send them a letter showing them how much they got and how to get their money delivered.
IRS Offers Simplified Process for Claiming
In response to the needs of the problem, it was stated by the IRS Commisioner that most people who were wrongly claimed will not have to file again for 2021. The IRS is automatically adjusting the payments in cases where this is possible.
For those who have not yet filed due to waiting for their employer to issue a wage statement, they may file as they got it in the meantime:
- File your 2021 tax return as soon as you receive the W-2 from your employer.
- Verify if the direct deposit or mailing information you had given to your employer or the bank is correct.
- Use the IRS Free File: not more than two and a half crores will be lost using the Free File. I would also recommend the best suggestion that you find a competent tax expert near you that will explain everything to you and help you complete the tax file for free.
You can also log in to the official IRS Where’s My Refunde website, in case you have not yet done so.
Why Are So Many People Still Missing Out?
A substantial number of citizens, including low-income people, students, and retired persons, who were not obliged to file a tax return in 2021, have not shown any interest in the Missing Money Credit rest case given by the IRS. Not realizing they could claim the credit, other individuals did not see the Refund Recovery Rebate.
The IRS has placed the figure of about 1.1 million households, which can still be potentially eligible, during the last payment window. However, it alerted that time is extremely limited.
What Should You Do Now?
- If you haven’t submitted your 2021 tax return yet, you should do it prior to April 15, 2025.
- If you have the possibility to file the return for the year 2021 but did not claim for the credit of the tax refund, in that case, after checking your account with the IRS, you may just wait for a notification, if any.
- Keep an eye on your mailbox or bank account for updates.
For citizens in the USA, this is the final opportunity to cash in the remaining pandemic stimulus checks of up to $1,400 per person for those that are eligible. For most of them, the unexpected refund can make a significant difference between paying out essential expenses or adding to their savings.
This is the only chance, which is a rarity, for you to claim your benefit, so be sure you will not miss it, will you?