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Stimulus Package

This page will answer frequently asked questions about the Economic Impact Payments (EIP), also commonly known as stimulus payments, and other tax credits that may help put more money in your pocket.

On Wednesday, March 10, 2021, Congress passed the American Rescue Plan Act, which was signed into law by President Biden the next day. The $1.9 trillion relief package offered new economic assistance to individuals, families, schools, businesses and state and local government.

The Act provided for a third round of stimulus payments of up to $1,400 per eligible individual or $2,800 for eligible married couples filing jointly. Adults who earned less than $75,000 should have received a full payment, with reduced payments to those earning up to $80,000; married couples who earned up to $150,000 also received a full payment with reduced payments to those earning up to $160,000. Children and adult dependents claimed on tax returns within these households are also eligible for $1,400 payments, including college students and some people with disabilities, not just children under 17. Undocumented immigrants were not eligible to receive direct payments. However, unlike previous rounds of payments, this Act would allow residentsmarried to undocumented residents to receive stimulus payments. Direct deposit payments were first made beginning in March, 2021 and were automatically deposited in the bank account utilized on your most recently filed tax return. If the IRS did not have an individual’s direct deposit information, the individual should have received payments via physical checks or Economic Impact Payment (EIP) debit cards.

To find the amount of Economic Impact Payments issued to you on record, you may create or visit your IRS Online Account.

In July of 2021, many eligible families across the country began receiving advance payments related to changes made to the Child Tax Credit with the passing of the American Rescue Plan Act. The IRS distributed half the total Child Tax Credit amount in advance via monthly payments between the months of July and December 2021, unless eligible individuals/families opted out of receiving these payments in advance. The other half of the child tax credit will be claimed when you file your 2021 income tax return in 2022. These changes apply to tax year 2021 only. It is important you are aware of who qualifies and how to ensure you receive this tax credit in the way that best fits you and your household. Learn more by visiting our most frequently asked questions regarding the Advance Child Tax Credit.

What is the Child Tax Credit?

For 2021 ONLY, the Child Tax Credit provides a credit of up to $3,600 per child under age 6 and $3,000 per child from ages 6 to 17. For 2021, it is a refundable credit, meaning If the credit exceeds taxes owed, families may receive the excess amount as a refund. Fifty percent of the credit amount will be provided via advance payments on the 15th of each month beginning July 15 through December 2021 rather than as a lump sum at tax time. Families no longer need to have earned income to receive this credit for their children.

Prior years provided a Child Tax Credit of up to $2,000 per child age 16 and younger, with refunds limited to $1,400 per child. These parameters will be in effect again for 2022-2025.

What are Advance Child Tax Credit payments?

Advance Child Tax Credit payments were early payments sent to eligible taxpayers from the IRS of 50 percent of the estimated amount of the Child Tax Credit. The remaining amount of the Child Tax Credit due to eligible taxpayers will be provided when your file your 2021 tax return in the 2022 tax filing season.

For 2021, the Child Tax Credit (CTC) provided up to $300 per month per child under age 6, and up to $250 per month per child ages 6 to 17. These payments started on the 15th of each month from July 2021 through December 2021. Families were able to opt out of receiving the advanced payments. For everyone that is eligible, you will need to ensure you file a tax return for 2021 to receive the rest of the payment.

Note: Advance Child Tax Credit payment amounts are not based on the Credit for Other Dependents, which is not refundable. For more information about the Credit for Other Dependents, see Schedule 8812 (Form 1040), Credit for Qualifying Children and Other Dependents

For more information about how your Advance Child Tax Credit payments are calculated, see Topic D: Calculation of Advance Child Tax Credit Payments.

Visit IRS for more information on Advance Child Tax Credit Payments in 2021.

Does my child or dependent qualify for the Child Tax Credit?

You qualify for the Child Tax Credit if you have a qualifying child or children, generally a child under the age of 18 that lives with you most of the time, and you or your spouse (if married filing a joint return) must have your main home* in one of the 50 states or the District of Columbia for more than half the year.

Eligible children for the Child Tax Credit must meet the following criteria:

The child is your son, daughter, grandchild, stepchild or adopted child; younger sibling, step-sibling, half-sibling or their descendant; or a foster child placed with you by a government agency.
The child was under 17 at the end of 2020.
The child has a valid Social Security number.
The child lived with you for more than half of 2021.
The child did not provide over half of their own support for 2021.

* Your main home can be any location where you regularly live. Your main home may be your house, apartment, mobile home, shelter, temporary lodging or other location and doesn’t need to be the same physical location throughout the taxable year. You don’t need a permanent address to get these payments. If you are temporarily away from your main home because of illness, education, business, vacation or military service, you are generally treated as living in your main home.

Am I eligible to claim the Child Tax Credit?

To qualify for the Child Tax Credit, you and your spouse, if you file a joint return, must:

File a 2021 tax return and claim the Child Tax Credit on the return; AND
Had your main home in the United States for more than half the year (the 50 states and the District of Columbia) or file a joint return with a spouse who has a main home in the United States for more than half the year; AND
Have a qualifying child who is under age 18 at the end of 2021 and who has a valid Social Security number; AND
Made less than certain income limits

Will claiming the Child Tax Credit affect my benefits?

No, the Child Tax Credit is considered part of your tax refund so it will not impact eligibility for Federal programs like Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). It is not counted towards means-tested resource limits for up to 12 months.

Why did I receive a letter about the Child Tax Credit and what do I do with it?

Letters 6416 and 6416-A (both named Advance Child Tax Credit Outreach letter) began being mailed out by the IRS in June 2021. These letters estimate Child Tax Credit amounts for tax year 2021 and tell taxpayers they may be eligible to receive advance CTC payments.

If you received one of these letters you should save these letters to reference when filing your 2021 tax return in 2022.

Is it too late to claim the Child Tax Credit?

It’s not too late to claim the expanded Child Tax Credit (CTC) for tax year 2021. Even though the taxfiling deadline has passed, families with no or low incomes can still file to claim the CTC without penalty. If you have not already filed your taxes for the 2021 tax year, the simplified online filing portal, GetCTC.org (available in English and Spanish) makes it easier for families with no or low incomes, that qualify for the child tax credit, to claim the credit on their own.

The portal will remain open through November 15 2022

Additional Resources and How to Claim the Child Tax Credit

Am I eligible for the third round of Economic Impact Payments?

Due to the income limitations in the American Rescue Plan Act, some individuals weren’t eligible for the third payment even if they received a first or second Economic Impact Payment or claimed a 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit.

Generally, the full amount for someone who is eligible would be:

$1,400 for an eligible individual with a valid Social Security number;
$2,800 for married couples filing a joint return if both spouses have a valid Social Security number or if one spouse has a valid Social Security number and one spouse was an active member of the U.S. Armed Forces at any time during the taxable year; or
$1,400 for each qualifying dependent with a valid Social Security number or Adoption Taxpayer Identification Number issued by the IRS.

If the adjusted gross income (AGI) is not more than:

- $150,000 if married and filing a joint return or if filing as a qualifying widow or widower;
- $112,500 if filing as head of household or; or
- $75,000 for eligible individuals using any other filing status.

Payments will be phased out – or reduced – above those AGI amounts. This means people will not receive a 2021 payment if their AGI is at least:

$160,000 if married and filing a joint return or if filing as a qualifying widow or widower;
$120,000 if filing as head of household; or
$80,000 for eligible individuals using any other filing status.

Other important items to note under the third round:

Children and adult dependents claimed on tax returns within these households are also eligible for $1,400 payments, including college students and some people with disabilities, not just children under 17;
Undocumented immigrants are not eligible to receive direct payments; and
However, unlike previous rounds of payments, this Act would allow residents married to undocumented residents to receive stimulus payments.

How were third round payments received?

The third round of Economic Impact Payments, were advance payments of the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit claimed on a 2021 tax return. Most eligible individuals received their third Economic Impact Payment automatically starting in March through December of 2021. The IRS used available information to determine eligibility and issued the third payment to eligible people who:

Filed a 2020 tax return;
Filed a 2019 tax return if the 2020 tax return had not been submitted or processed yet;
Did not file a 2020 or 2019 tax return, but registered for the first Economic Impact Payment with the Non-Filers tool in 2020; or
Are federal benefit recipients who do not usually file a tax return, in which case the IRS worked with Federal agencies to get updated information and issue the 2021 Economic Impact Payments.

How do I check the status of my third round economic impact payment?

The IRS has issued all first, second and third Economic Impact Payments.

If you are unsure if you received your payment or how much you received, check for the following:

IRS EIP Notices: These notices were mailed to the address IRS had on file.

Notice 1444: Shows the first Economic Impact Payment sent for tax year 2020
Notice 1444-B: Shows the second Economic Impact Payment sent for tax year 2020
Notice 1444-C: Shows the third Economic Impact Payment sent for tax year 2021

Letter 6475: Through March 2022, IRS sent this letter confirming the total amount of the third Economic Impact Payment and any plus-up payments you received for tax year 2021.

You can also go online to the IRS and visit Your Online Account which allows you to securely access your individual IRS account online and view the total of your first, second and third Economic Impact Payment amounts under the “Economic Impact Payment Information” section on the Tax Records page.

You will need the total payment information from your online account or your letter to accurately calculate your Recovery Rebate Credit. For married filing joint individuals, each spouse will need to log into their own online account or review their own letter for their half of the total payment.

If you are certain you did not receive your third Economic Impact Payment find out how to claim a missing payment.

How do I claim my third Economic Impact Payment if I am certain I did not receive it in 2021?

The IRS is no longer automatically issuing third Economic Impact Payments, they were all sent in 2021.

However, if you did not receive a third Economic Impact Payment that you were eligible to claim or got less than the full amount, you may be eligible to claim the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit when you file your 2021 tax return. You MUST file a return to claim the credit, even if you don’t usually file a tax return. The credit is based on your 2021 tax year information. The amount of the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit you are eligible to receive will reduce any tax you owe for 2021 or be included in your tax refund.

If you received a portion of the third Economic Impact Payment and you are claiming the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit on your 2021 tax return to receive the remainder of the Economic Impact Payment due to you, then you will need to know the exact amount of any third Economic Impact payment and any plus-up payments you did receive in 2021. Making sure that you are entering the correct total amount of the third payments received in 2021 using your individual online IRS account or Letter 6475 when filing a tax return can reduce errors and avoid delays in processing while the IRS corrects the tax return.

Do not include amounts of missing first or second Economic Impact Payments on your 2021 tax return. Instead, see how to claim your first or second Economic Impact Payment if you did not receive one of both of them.

Visit our tax preparation page to find additional tips and resources on how to file your 2021 tax return electronically and for FREE to help you calculate and claim your 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit (third round payment) as well as any other tax credits you may be eligible to receive. The form takes on average about 15 minutes to complete.

For simplified tax filing to claim any missing amount of your third stimulus payment and/or the Child Tax Credit, you may use the simplified tax filing tool provided by CODE for America, made in collaboration with the White House and U.S. Department of Treasury.

Was I eligible for the second round of Economic Impact Payments?

On December 22, 2020, Congress approved a relief package which expanded EIP payments issued in 2020 as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).

Generally, if you’re a U.S. citizen or U.S. resident alien, you may be eligible for $600 ($1,200 for a joint return), plus $600 for each qualifying child, if you (and your spouse, if filing a joint return) aren’t a dependent of another taxpayer on a 2019 tax return, have a Social Security number (SSN) valid for employment (see exception when married filing joint) and your adjusted gross income (AGI) does not exceed:

$150,000 if married and filing a joint return or if filing as a qualifying widow or widower;
$112,500 if filing as head of household; or
$75,000 for eligible individuals using any other filing status.

Your payment will be reduced by five percent of the amount by which your AGI exceeds the applicable threshold above.

You aren’t eligible for a payment if any of the following apply to you:

You were claimed as a dependent on another taxpayer’s 2019 tax return (for example, a child or student who may be claimed on a parent’s tax return or a dependent parent who may be claimed on an adult child’s tax return).
You don’t have an SSN that is valid for employment issued before the due date of your 2019 tax return (including any extensions).
You’re a nonresident alien.
People who died before 2020.
Are an estate or trust.

NOTE: For round two payments, you will not get a payment for an adult child over the age of 17, or a parent who is your dependent, if they are claimed as a dependent on your tax return.

If you didn’t get a second payment or got less than the full amount, you may qualify for the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit and must file a 2020 tax return to claim it, even if you don’t normally file.

Learn more about who is eligible to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit.

Visit the IRS’s 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit Frequently Asked Questions.

When were the second round of Economic Impact Payments sent?

The Internal Revenue Service and the Treasury Department began delivering a second round of economic impact payments as part of the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 to millions of Americans who received the first round of payments in 2020. Payments began during the last week of December, 2020 while more payments occurred in early January 2021.

Direct deposit payments were made first to those individuals with a valid routing and account information on file. Mailed payments followed via paper check or a debit card.

If you didn’t get a first payment or got less than the full amount, you may qualify for the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit and must file a 2020 tax return to claim it, even if you don’t normally file.

Learn more about who is eligible to claim the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit.

Did I qualify for the first Economic Impact Payment?

How do I check the status of my first and second Economic Impact Payments?

For information on your first and second round payments, you may:

View or create your IRS online account– An online IRS application that allows you to securely access your individual tax information including your first and second Economic Impact Payment amounts. The amounts of your Economic Impact Payments are found under the Tax Records tab/page. The Tax Records tab/page will show two separate amounts: the amount of your first economic impact payment (some received multiple payments so the amount shown will be the total) and the amount of your second payment. Even if you and your spouse received joint payments, your accounts online will show each spouse’s portion of the joint payments. Therefore, you and your spouse will need to sign into your own account to retrieve your separate amounts. OR
Refer to IRS letters you received– IRS mailed Notice 1444 for the first Economic Impact Payment and Notice 1444-B for the second Economic Impact Payment to the address they have on file. If you received joint payments with your spouse, the letters show the total amount of each payment. If you file separate 2020 tax returns, each of you must enter half of the amount of the payment. OR
Request and review your 2020 account transcript: You can request this online or by mail using Get Transcript. You may also call us at 800-908-9946 to have one sent by mail or you can submit Form 4506-T. If you received joint payments with your spouse, the transcript shows the total amount of each payment under the primary taxpayer. If you file separate 2020 tax returns, each of you must enter half of the amount of the payment.

How do I claim my first or second Economic Impact Payment if I did not receive one or both payments?

Direct payments were made to eligible individuals based on the information the IRS had on file for your 2019 tax return, the information provided by you in the online Non-Filers: Enter Payment Info Here tool in 2020, payment information entered on the Get My Payment tool or information provided by a federal agency that issued benefits to you (Social Security Administration, Veteran Affairs or Railroad Retirement Board).

Payments for round one and round two have been distributed by the IRS and most recipients should have received their payments by direct deposit. For Social Security and other beneficiaries who received the first round of payments via Direct Express, they should have received their second payment the same way.

Anyone who received the first or second round of payments, but didn’t receive a payment via direct deposit, should have received a check or, in some instances, a debit card.

IRS and Treasury have issued all first and second Economic Impact Payments. If you didn’t get a first or second payment or got less than the full amounts, you may qualify for the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit and must file a 2020 tax return to claim it, even if you don’t normally file.

The fastest way to get your Recovery Rebate Credit (sent as a tax refund) is to file electronically 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.

How can I file my taxes for free or receive assistance filing my taxes at no cost?

There are multiple ways for you to file your taxes at no cost to you and your family if you meet eligibility requirements. Free filing services are generally available to low- to moderate-income (LMI) persons with disabilities, the elderly and limited English speakers. However, eligibility requirements do vary, so please confirm prior to preparing and filing your taxes. Keep in mind you don’t have to be an expert to do your own taxes and you don’t have to do it alone. There are many free tax preparation options to help you get your refund and all the credits you’ve earned. Visit the Financial Resilience Center’s Tax Tips page to learn more.

Keep in mind: Electronic filing, including Free File, is the best way to avoid pandemic-related paper delays. E-filing combined with direct deposit is the fastest way to get a refund.

Am I eligible for an Economic Impact Payment if I receive SSI or SSDI and do not have other income?

You do not have to be earning income as an employee of a company or from any other source in addition to your Social Security payment. However, if you are listed as a dependent on someone else’s federal tax return you may not be eligible for rounds one and two of the stimulus payments.

Will the payments affect my eligibility for federal programs, like Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance Program (SSDI)?

No. Economic Impact Payments (EIP) which are a type of pandemic related disaster assistance, do not count as income and do not count as a resource for SSI or SSDI applicants or recipients, no matter how long they keep those funds.

For SSI recipients, if the EIP is saved in a savings account at a bank or other financial institution, documents or information related to receiving the payment(s) should be kept with other important records in case they are needed in the future to prove and clarify that the funds were received as an EIP. Social Security Administration (SSA) uses various electronic alert systems that verify bank balances for SSI recipients and the documents may be helpful to show that the EIP(s) should not be counted as a part of the resource limit. SSA may ask the SSI recipient for a print-out of history of account transactions back to the deposit of the EIP or they may ask to see the individual’s own records.

As another savings alternative, eligible individuals whose disability began before the age of 26 may choose to save their EIP in a tax-exempt ABLE account in which up to $100,000 is not counted as a resource by the SSI program. Any amount of savings in this account will not affect Medicaid or Medicaid waiver services. For more information about ABLE accounts, visit the ABLE National Resource Center.

The SSDI program does not look at savings or and does not count most types of unearned income, including EIPs, so no documentation is recommended unless you receive a benefit under both SSDI and SSI programs or other programs which look at your resources.

When can SSI or SSDI beneficiaries, who have a Representative Payee, expect to receive their Economic Impact Payment?

The Social Security Administration issued an update June 1, 2020 to beneficiaries who have their regular monthly payments managed for them by another person called a Representative Payee (RP). RPs started receiving Economic Impact Payments from the IRS on May 28.

Note: Special rules apply to beneficiaries living in the U.S. territories: American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands and the U.S. Virgin Islands. In general, the tax authority in each territory, not the IRS, will pay the EIP to eligible residents based on information the IRS provides to the territories. It is anticipated that beneficiaries in the territories could begin receiving their EIP in early June.

If you filed a 2019 or 2018 tax return:

Your $1,200 EIP should have been sent to the bank account provided on your tax return for an electronic tax refund, or mailed to the address provided on your tax return if a tax refund was mailed or if there was no refund.

If you did not file a 2019 or 2018 tax return:

For an Organizational RP, the schedule above is the same, except that the payee may have received the EIP electronically or by paper check in the mail.

Typically, check payments to RPs are clearly designated. For example, “Susan Smith for” on the first line of the check and the second line of the check displays the beneficiary’s name. For EIP checks, there may be instances where the RP’s name on the first line of the check is condensed, or missing the “for” designation, or the “for” designation could appear twice. These differences should not prevent financial institutions and check cashers from processing the check.

If I live in a nursing facility, and Medicaid pays for the cost of my care and services, will the Economic Impact Payments affect my Medicaid eligibility?

No. According to the CARES Act, the Economic Impact Payment is considered a tax credit and it does not count as a “resource” for federal benefit programs like Medicaid, for up to 12 months. The payment is yours to spend on your wants and needs, any way you choose.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has received reports of nursing homes and assisted living facilities throughout the country claiming that Economic Impact Payments count as “resources” under the rules of federal benefit programs and must be used to pay for services. The FTC encourages consumers to check with loved ones who receive Medicaid and live in these facilities, and if they are experiencing this issue, to file a complaint with their state attorney general and report it to the FTC.

This fact sheet on EIPs and Nursing Facilities and issues related to payments being seized (including where advocates can report issues) is now available on the CCD website.

Can a nursing home or assisted living facility require me to hand over my Economic Impact Payment because I am on Medicaid?

Many nursing facility residents will receive Economic Impact Payments . Even if Medicaid pays for your care and services at the facility, the payment belongs to you and not the nursing facility and you may use these funds in whatever way you choose.

If my Social Security Administration (SSA) representative payee receives my Economic Impact Payment, are they required to turn over the entire amount to me?

On May 1, 2020, SSA confirmed that an Economic Impact Payment (EIP) is not subject to Representative Payee (RP) oversight because an RP is only responsible for managing SSA or SSI benefits. If you receive an EIP, the RP is required to turn the EIP over to you. An RP should discuss the EIP with you and, if you want to use it independently, the RP should provide it to you. Outside of their role as a RP, they can help you to use your economic impact payment in a specific manner or save it for you if that is your choice. If you suspect misuse, report it to SSA. Although it does not fall under their authority, they will look at whether your RP continues to be suitable. You can also report it to your State Protection and Advocacy office.

Learn who manages your EIP if you have a representative payee.

Is the prepaid VISA debit card I received in the mail from the government my Economic Impact Payment and how can I use it without paying a lot of fees?

If you qualified for an Economic Impact Payment, you may have received your money on a prepaid VISA debit card, issued by MetaBank, through the mail. The Economic Impact Card would have come in a plain envelope from “Money Network Cardholder Services” along with important information about the card, instructions for activation, fees and a note from the U.S. Treasury. If you received such a card in the mail, do not throw it away. You will need it to access your Economic Impact Payment.

The National Consumer Law Center compiled a fact sheet on the prepaid cards, including information on how to access the money, use the card and avoid fees. It also includes information on what to do if the card was thrown out.

Learn how to use your prepaid VISA debit card and avoid fees.

What do I do if I was eligible but did not receive a first or second Economic Impact Payment?

If you were eligible for a first or second Economic Impact Payment and did not receive your payments, FIRST you must check and verify the status of your payments with IRS. Visit How do I check the status of my first and second Economic Impact Payments?to verify if the IRS issued you payments.

There could be several reasons why your account may show you were issued a first or second Economic Impact Payment even though you did not receive one. Visit the IRS’s revised 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit FAQs: FS-2022-26: QF3 to find reasons why this could have happened and QF8 to learn how to request a payment trace to track payments that were issued but you are certain you did NOT receive.

How can I return an Economic Impact Payment that I should not have received?

Millions of eligible individuals received their Economic Impact Payments. Some people, including those who received a payment for a deceased individual, may be unsure whether they should return a payment. The IRS has posted instructions for payments that were issued and received as a direct deposit, a paper check or as an EIP card and what to do if the payment was mailed to someone who has died.