Do I Have to Claim My Stimulus Check on My 2021 Taxes?

The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 authorized a third round of Economic Impact Payments (EIP3), commonly known as stimulus checks, to eligible individuals and families. The IRS began distributing EIP3 payments in March 2021.

Eligibility for EIP3

To be eligible for EIP3, you must have met the following criteria:

• You were a U.S. citizen or resident alien with a valid Social Security number.
• You could not be claimed as a dependent on someone else’s tax return.
• Your income was below certain limits.

Amount of EIP3

The amount of EIP3 you received depended on your filing status and income. The maximum payment was $1,400 for single filers, $2,800 for married couples filing jointly, and $1,400 for each qualifying dependent.

Do I Need to Claim My EIP3 on My 2021 Taxes?

If you received the full amount of EIP3, you do not need to claim it on your 2021 tax return. The IRS will automatically reconcile your payment with your tax return and adjust your refund or tax liability accordingly.

If you did not receive the full amount of EIP3 or did not receive a payment at all, you may be eligible to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit on your 2021 tax return. The Recovery Rebate Credit is a tax credit that allows you to receive the remaining amount of EIP3 that you are entitled to.

How to Claim the Recovery Rebate Credit

To claim the Recovery Rebate Credit, you must file a 2021 tax return, even if you are not otherwise required to file. You can claim the credit on line 30 of the 2021 Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR.

Documents You Will Need

To claim the Recovery Rebate Credit, you will need the following documents:

• Your 2021 tax return
• Notice 1444-C, Your Third Economic Impact Payment
• Letter 6475, Your Economic Impact Payment

Additional Information

• If you used the Non-Filers tool to register for an advance Child Tax Credit payment or claim a 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit, you should enter “$1” as the prior year AGI verification when filing your 2021 tax return.
• If you did not use the Non-Filers tool last year and did not file an electronic or paper 2020 Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR, you should enter “$0” as the prior year AGI verification.
• If you filed an electronic or paper 2020 Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR, enter the AGI amount from line 11 of the submitted 2020 Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR as the prior year AGI verification.

If you did not receive the full amount of EIP3 or did not receive a payment at all, you may be eligible to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit on your 2021 tax return. To claim the credit, you must file a 2021 tax return, even if you are not otherwise required to file.