About a million taxpayers will automatically receive payments from the IRS in the coming weeks, the agency said recently announced.
The checks, which could be as much as $1,400, are for those who did not claim the Recovery Allowance Credit on their 2021 tax returns.
“These payments are an example of our commitment to do more for taxpayers,” IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel said in a statement.
How to find out if you are eligible
Payments are sent automatically to those who qualify, the IRS said. No action is required.
This includes those who filed their 2021 tax return but left the Recovery Allowance Credit section blank or filled in incorrectly and were entitled to the money.
“Looking at our internal data, we realized that over a million taxpayers neglected to claim this complex credit when they were actually entitled to it,” Werfel said. “To minimize headaches and get that money to the right taxpayers, we’re making these payments automatically, meaning these people won’t have to go through the extensive process of filing an amended return to receive it.”
This April 13, 2014, file photo shows the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) headquarters building in Washington.
J. David Ake/AP, FILE
Recipients will receive a letter in late January notifying them of the same payment, either by check or direct deposit. They started sending checks at the beginning of the month.
The money will be deposited into the bank account shown on the individual’s 2023 tax return. If the account is closed, a check will be sent to the agency’s address on file.
If someone didn’t file a 2021 tax return, they can still get that payment, the IRS said, but they must first file their return by April 15, 2025.
What to know about the bonus
Americans received three stimulus payments from the federal government during the coronavirus pandemic. Two were sent under the Trump administration in 2020 and one under the Biden administration in 2021.
The first check was $1,200 for eligible taxpayers, the second $600 and the third $1,400.
Most Americans received their checks, the government said, but those who didn’t get the full amount can claim a rebate credit.
The IRS estimates that about $2.4 billion will be sent to Americans in the coming weeks.
