How Do I Get The Stimulus Money Im Owed
The first step is to file taxes for 2020. That way the IRS has current income information reflecting any changes from 2019. Missed stimulus payments from the first two rounds of checks can also be claimed as rebates on a tax return. The IRS urges low and moderate income families, especially those who normally dont file, to use Free File to file a 2020 tax return. Through Free File, leading tax software providers are supposed to make their online products available for free.
For those who are not comfortable doing their own return, IRS volunteers offer tax help at more than 11,000 tax help sites, nationwide. To find the nearest site, or call 800-906-9887. There are also options to free file using your mobile device.
Once a recipients tax information has been updated, the IRS will send out plus-up payments automatically. A plus-up payment will arrive in the same way as the original third stimulus check. So if the first payment came via direct deposit, its also worth monitoring the your bank account or Direct Express card balance for the arrival of additional funds. If the first payment came by mail, a recipient can use the Postal Services Informed Delivery service to track it. The USPSs automated mail-sorting equipment takes a picture of each letter-sized piece of mail and sends it to each addressee who subscribes.
Stimulus Check Update: 3 Things To Know About The Plus
by Dana George | Updated Aug. 25, 2021 – First published on May 24, 2021
If 2020 hit you hard financially, you may have a little help on the way.
Much has been written regarding the IRSs intention to send bonus payments to eligible Americans who missed out on the third stimulus check. If you recently filed your 2020 tax return or have filed for an extension, here are the three most important things you should know about plus-up payments.
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Stimulus Check Update: When Will Plus
Meredith Tucker, CPA | Featured in USA Today | April 10, 2021
For those last-minute tax filers who were rushing to get their returns done, theres good news: youve been given a one-month reprieve.
Tax Day 2021 has been pushed back to May 17 from April 15 without penalties and interest, giving Americans more time to file their federal returns as the IRS implements sweeping tax code changes from the latest COVID-19 relief package.
But there are caveats. The IRS isnt extending the deadline for first quarter estimated tax payments. And not all states have pushed back their deadlines.
Its a busy time. Many Americans have tons of questions about their stimulus checks, taxes and unemployment aid after the American Rescue Plan became law. So far, more than 156 million payments have been sent to Americans in the third round.
The IRS is sending stimulus checks on a weekly basis now. Some Americans are eligible for plus-up payments from the agency, which will correct any changes to money that they are owed based on their 2020 tax returns.
Many people are rushing to get their returns done so they can qualify for the latest stimulus aid, and they have questions like: Is it best to file now? Can I still file my return to qualify for a third stimulus check? When will I get a plus-up payment?
Heres what you need to know:
Recommended Reading: Irs Economic Stimulus Checks Update
Questions And Answers About The Third
These updated FAQs were released to the public in Fact Sheet 2022-22PDF, March 25, 2022.
If you didn’t receive, or get the full amount of, the third-round Economic Impact Payment, you may be eligible to claim the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit and must file a 2021 tax return even if you don’t usually file taxes to claim it. Your 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit will reduce any tax you owe for 2021 or be included in your tax refund.
If your income is $73,000 or less, you can file your federal tax return electronically for free through the IRS Free File Program. The fastest and most secure way to get your tax refund is to file electronically and have it direct deposited, contactless and free, into your financial account. You can have your refund direct deposited into your bank account, prepaid debit card, or mobile app, and will need to provide routing and account numbers.
If you didn’t get the full amounts of the first and second Economic Impact Payments, you may be eligible to claim the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit and must file a 2020 tax return even if you don’t usually file taxes to claim it. DO NOT include any information regarding the first and second Economic Impact Payments or the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit on your 2021 return.
Stimulus Check News: What Exactly Is A ‘plus Up’ Payment

Some stimulus check recipients may have more cash due in the form of plus-up payments. Recipients’ 2020 tax returns can mean payments to those who received small payments or no payment at all.
Tax filers can calculate how much they should have received using Line 30 on Forms 1040 or 1040-SR. If they received less than they deserved, they can request the difference using those forms and the accompanying worksheet.
Thats where “plus-up payments” come in. If the IRS checks their math and gets the same result, restitution will be made through a “plus-up payment.”
Additional funds might be owed due to a persons income dropping during 2020, or if a new child or dependent shows up on their tax documents.
US President Joe Biden’s name will not appear on the $1,400 stimulus checks going out to most AmericansPhoto: AFP / Olivier DOULIERY
There are some other caveats. The IRS says that discrepancies could cause a slight delay, a concerning term coming from the beleaguered tax agency still processing returns from two years ago.
Officials might also dispute the claim if their math doesnt match up. That can have several causes, one of the most common being ineligibility due to someone else claiming the adult filer as a dependent on their return.
Distribution for the most recent round of plus-up checks started on April 1. Those who think theyre owed one should be sure to file taxes before the delayed deadline on May 17.
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Irs Plus Up Payment 2022 Tracker: Will You Receive More Payments
All you need to know
If you are eligible for plus up payments in the United States of America, then you should have already applied for yours as the deadline closed on December 31.
A new year means a new cycle of plus up payments has started and you need to keep a track of yours to ensure you can claim back as much of it as possible when the years draws to a close.
Stimulus Deadline: Check Your Eligibility For Plus Up Payment From The Irs By Dec 31
Time is running out to determine if you are eligible for the so-called plus-up stimulus payments on your 2021 taxes part of the Economic Impact Payments authorized by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. The deadline to see if you qualify is Dec. 31.
Child Tax Credit: You Could Get a Double Payment in February Heres Why
Plus-up payments are additional payments the Internal Revenue Service is sending to those who received a third Economic Impact Payment based on a 2019 tax return or information received from the Social Security Administration or Veterans Administration. For example, you may get a plus-up payment if your income was less in 2020 compared to 2019, or you added a dependent on your 2020 return, according to the IRS.
You do not need to take any action other than file a 2020 tax return as soon as possible to give the IRS time to process a plus-up payment before the end of 2021 if you are eligible, the IRS stated on its website.
Plus-up payments are sent separately from 2020 tax refunds and previous Economic Impact Payments. They are normally issued within 2 weeks from the time the 2020 tax return is processed.
We are sending plus-up payments to eligible taxpayers every week until the legislative deadline of December 31, 2021, the IRS said.
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Some People Who Previously Received A Third Stimulus Check Are Getting A Supplemental Payment From The Irs Is There A Check Coming With Your Name On It
If you already received a third stimulus check, you might find an additional check from the IRS in your mailbox in the coming weeks especially if you filed your 2020 tax return close to the May 17 deadline. The IRS is calling these extra checks “plus-up” payments, and more than 9 million Americans have already receive the supplemental payment. Over 900,000 plus-up payments were sent in just the last six weeks, and more of them will be sent in the weeks and months ahead as the IRS continues to process 2020 tax returns. The big question is: Will you get one?
The IRS is sending plus-up payments to people who received a third-round stimulus check that was based on information taken from their 2019 federal tax return or some other source, but who are eligible for a larger payment based on a 2020 return that is filed and/or processed later. This could happen, for example, if you had a new baby last year that is reported as a dependent for the first time on your 2020 return .
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Andy Meek is a reporter who has covered media, entertainment, and culture for over 20 years. His work has appeared in outlets including The Guardian, Forbes, and The Financial Times, and hes written for BGR since 2015. Andy’s coverage includes technology and entertainment, and he has a particular interest in all things streaming. Over the years, hes interviewed legendary figures in entertainment and tech that range from Stan Lee to John McAfee, Peter Thiel, and Reed Hastings.
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What About Va Beneficiaries
Payments for VA beneficiaries who didnt file a 2020 or 2019 tax return and didnt use the Non-Filers tool last year will be disbursed on April 14, the IRS said.
If no additional issues arise, the IRS expects to begin processing these VA payment files at the end of this week, the agency said. Because the majority of these payments will be disbursed electronically, they would be received on the official payment date of April 14.
How Do You Get The Plus
To get either the plus-up payment or the Recovery Rebate Credit, you’ve got to file your 2020 tax return. It’s due May 17.
After that, you won’t need to do anything to get the plus-up payment. Once your return is processed the IRS has to do so by August 16 then your plus-up payment will go out in the next round of direct deposits and check mailings of stimulus payments.
But you will need to do some extra work to get the Recovery Rebate Credit. Specifically, you’ve got to fill out this IRS worksheet and then enter the resulting amount on line 30 of your 1040 or 1040-SR tax return.
That will result in a credit that offsets the taxes you owe or increases the amount of your tax refund. If you do get a payment from the Recovery Rebate Credit, it will be as part of your 2020 tax refund.
The IRS warns that many people may not receive the Recovery Rebate Credit, or get smaller credits than they expect, due to errors in calculating the amount of the credit. If you’ve already filed your 2020 tax return but think you might be eligible for the Recovery Rebate Credit, you’ll have to file an amended tax return .
Also Check: When Is The 3rd Stimulus Check Coming Out
Who Received A Plus
This IRS was able to “automatically send a third payment to people who didn’t file a return but receive Social Security retirement, survivor or disability benefits , Railroad Retirement benefits, Supplemental Security Income or Veterans Affairs benefits.”
Additionally, many were sent to people who had not yet submitted a 2020 tax return were sent a corrected payment based on the updated information.
Stimulus Payment: The Irs Could Owe You ‘plus

If you got a smaller amount with your stimulus check than the IRS owes you, you might be due a plus-up payment. Here are the details.
Alison DeNisco Rayome
Managing Editor
Alison DeNisco Rayome is a managing editor at CNET, now covering home topics after writing about services and software. Alison was previously an editor at TechRepublic.
Jessica Dolcourt
Editorial Director / CNET Money, How-To & Performance Optimization
Jessica Dolcourt leads the CNET Money, How-To, and Performance teams. A California native who grew up in Silicon Valley, she’s passionate about connecting people with the highest standard of advice to help them reach their goals.
You may have received your third stimulus check already, but the IRS may not be done sending you money. If the IRS underestimated the amount of money you received in that third check that you qualified for based on older tax information, it may send you a “plus-up” payment once the agency receives your 2020 tax forms.
The IRS sent out 700,000 of these plus-up payments with last week’s batch, for $1.2 billion. And the IRS will continue to make these plus-up payments weekly. What can you expect if you didn’t file taxes in 2019 or haven’t filed your 2020 return yet? What if your circumstances have changed since you last filed, like if you earned less income in 2020 or you had a baby?
Recommended Reading: When Will Third Stimulus Checks Arrive In Mail
Just Before Easter The Internal Revenue Service Started Sending Out The Third Batch Of Stimulus Checks Including Plus
Last week, the Internal Revenue Service, US Department of the Treasury and the Bureau of the Fiscal Service announced that a third batch of Economic Impact Payments from the American Rescue Plan is scheduled to be sent out to those who have not received their checks. The third batch of payments began processing on Friday 26 March with the official payment date on the morning of Wednesday 31 March just before the Easter holidays.
How Can I Get My Missing Stimulus Check
Individuals can check the Get My Payment tool on the IRS website to see the status of their stimulus or plus-up payments.
But if youre still missing any of the stimulus checks sent out during the pandemic, the IRS suggests claiming the money on your tax return.
Thanks to a delayed filing deadline of May 17, there is more time than there normally would be but the clock is ticking.
Not only can filing ensure that you receive your full stimulus check amount, but it will also enable the government to pay you any other benefits owed such as the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit, the Child Tax Credit and the Earned Income Tax Credit.
Read Also: How To Track Stimulus Check In Mail
How Do I Check The Status Of My Payment
Get updates on the status of your next stimulus payment using the IRS Get My Payment tool. To use it, enter your full Social Security number or tax ID number, date of birth, street address and ZIP code.
For those who are eligible, the tool will show a “Payment Status” of when the payment has been issued and the payment date for direct deposit or mail, according to the IRS’ frequently asked questions.
The payments amount to $1,400 for a single person or $2,800 for a married couple filing jointly, plus an additional $1,400 for each dependent child. Individuals earning up to $75,000 get the full payments, as do married couples with incomes up to $150,000.
Payments decline for incomes above those thresholds, phasing out above $80,000 for individuals and $160,000 for married couples.
A head of household taxpayer isn’t eligible if their income is $120,000 or greater, although there is a phaseout between $112,500 and $120,000.
Do I Qualify For A Plus
If you are a taxpayer in the USA and your income was lower in 2020 than it was in 2019, then you are entitled to receive a plus-up payment.
2021 was another year of disruption so if you earned less than you did in 2020 as a result, you could be entitled to more plus up payments at the end of this tax year.
Read Also: Irs.gov Where Is My Stimulus Check
Who Will Get A Supplemental Plus
Again, you’ll only get a supplemental “plus-up” payment if you received a third stimulus check based on your 2019 tax return or other information, but you would have gotten a larger check if the IRS based it on your 2020 return. So, who falls into this category? Of course, it depends on your specific circumstance. However, to give you a general idea, here are a few examples of hypothetical taxpayers who should get a plus-up payment.
You Had Less Income in 2020 Than in 2019: Kay was unemployed for much of 2020. As a result, her AGI dropped from $78,000 in 2019 to $40,000 in 2020. Kay received a $560 third stimulus check that was based on her 2019 return . Since her 2019 AGI was above the phase-out threshold for single filers , her payment was reduced. Kay later files her 2020 tax return, which is processed before August 16, 2021. Since Kay’s 2020 AGI is well below the applicable phase-out threshold, her third stimulus check would have been for $1,400 if it were based on her 2020 return. As a result, Kay will receive a $840 plus-up payment .