The IRS estimates that there is over a billion dollars in unclaimed funds owed to a million taxpayers.
Yes. A million people who were eligible for a stimulus check did not get one.
All because they didn’t file their 2021 tax return.
If you didn’t get a stimulus check in 2021 but were eligible for one, you have until tax day in 2025 to file your 2021 tax return and get it as a Recovery Rebate Credit. As of this writing, that day is a mere eight days away – April 15th, 2025.
When the stimulus check was issued, it was only sent to people who had filed their 2021 tax return and known by the IRS to be eligible for it. If you didn’t file a 2021 tax return, the IRS didn’t know you should’ve gotten a check. Even if you were eligible, you didn’t get one because the IRS didn’t know!
Many citizens don’t file tax returns for a variety of reasons – low income, living off Social Security or other benefits, lack of stable housing, or some other reason. But if you don’t file, you couldn’t get the check.
Fortunately, you have five years to file a tax return. If you were due a refund, which is how the stimulus check is treated under tax law, you forfeit refunds over three years old.
By filing today, if eligible, you could get a check that’s due to you.
If you don’t file a return and were eligible, there’s no way to get the check.
Who was eligible?
First, you have to be a U.S. citizen or U.S. resident alien with a Social Security number and you are not claimed as a dependent on someone else’s tax return.
Next, you were eligible for the full stimulus check if your adjusted gross income (AGI) was:
- Single filers – $75,000 or less
- Head of household – $112,500 or less
- Married filing jointly – $150,000 or less
If you earned more than that, you could still get a partial stimulus check because the amount was phased out.
You also received additional funds for qualifying dependent children of $1,400 each. This was a big jump from previous checks, which added only $500/$600 for qualifying dependent children under 17.
Who should check their eligible?
If you didn’t receive a check and believe you fall within those income and eligibility limits, you should check to see if you were eligible.
If you don’t remember, you can check to see if you received one at the IRS website.
How to file your 2021 tax return now
You can still file your 2021 tax return with many of the same tax preparation services you would use for your 2025 return. They are equipped to file prior year returns and you can do it online.
This list of the low cost tax preparation services works for 2025 and 2021, though you will have to navigate through the tax company’s website to find the right forms.
If you need assistance, you can always rely on the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program from the IRS.
Act quickly
As I mentioned earlier, there is very little time because you forfeit refunds if you don’t file within three years.
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About Jim Wang
Jim Wang is a forty-something father of four who is a frequent contributor to Forbes and Vanguard’s Blog. He has also been fortunate to have appeared in the New York Times, Baltimore Sun, Entrepreneur, and Marketplace Money.
Jim has a B.S. in Computer Science and Economics from Carnegie Mellon University, an M.S. in Information Technology – Software Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University, as well as a Masters in Business Administration from Johns Hopkins University. His approach to personal finance is that of an engineer, breaking down complex subjects into bite-sized easily understood concepts that you can use in your daily life.
One of his favorite tools (here’s my treasure chest of tools, everything I use) is Empower Personal Dashboard, which enables him to manage his finances in just 15-minutes each month. They also offer financial planning, such as a Retirement Planning Tool that can tell you if you’re on track to retire when you want. It’s free.
Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank or financial institution. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
