Taxation Of Third Stimulus Checks
Question: Will my third stimulus check be taxed later?
Answer: No. As with the first two rounds of payments, your third stimulus check is actually just an advanced payment of the Recovery Rebate tax credit for the 2021 tax year. As such, it won’t be included in your taxable income.
You also won’t be required to repay any stimulus check payment when filing your 2021 tax return even if your third stimulus check is greater than your 2021 credit. If your third stimulus check is less than your 2021 credit, you’ll get the difference when you file your 2021 return next year. So, it’s a win-win situation for you!
Stimulus Check: You’ll Need This Irs Notice To Get More Money
If your stimulus check was less than you deserved in 2021, you’ll need IRS Letter 6475 to claim the rest of it.
Dan Avery
Writer
Dan is a writer on CNET’s How-To team. His byline has appeared in Newsweek, NBC News, The New York Times, Architectural Digest, The Daily Mail and elsewhere. He is a crossword junkie and is interested in the intersection of tech and marginalized communities.
The IRS started mailing Letter 6475 in January.
Most Americans received their full Economic Impact Payment — or third stimulus check — in 2021, but it’s possible you could have more money coming. If you had a baby last year or added a qualifying child to your family, you’re eligible for another $1,400. If your income changed significantly in 2021, you could also be owed more money.
The IRS finished mailing the third checks in January, but those entitled to more money can claim what’s called the recovery rebate credit on their 2021 tax returns when they file this tax season. The catch is that you’ll need a specific IRS notice to do that.
Letter 6475, Your Third Economic Impact Payment, was mailed to recipients of the third stimulus check starting in late January. It’s considered the official record of your stimulus payments for all of 2021. The letter helps determine if you’re owed more money via the recovery rebate credit. Even if you don’t qualify for more money, you still need the letter to report stimulus money on your tax return.
Amount Based On 2019 Or 2020 Tax Return
For third-round stimulus payments, eligibility and amounts are based on either your 2019 or 2020 return. If your 2020 tax return isn’t filed and processed by the IRS by the time the tax agency starts processing your third stimulus payment, then the IRS will use information from your 2019 tax return. If your 2020 return is already filed and processed when the IRS is ready to send your payment, then your stimulus check eligibility and amount will be based on the information on your 2020 return. If your 2020 return is filed and/or processed after the IRS sends you a third stimulus check, but before August 16, 2021 , the IRS will send you a supplemental payment for the difference between what your payment should have been if based on your 2020 return and the payment actually sent based on your 2019 return. As a result, your third stimulus check may be higher or lower depending on when you file your 2020 tax return.
Read Also: How To Track The Stimulus Check
You Make Too Much Money
You wont get a third stimulus check at all if your income is too high. Every eligible American starts with a $1,400 third stimulus check base amount. The base amount goes up to $2,800 for married couples filing a joint tax return. Then, for each dependent in your family, an extra $1,400 will be added to the base amount.
However, everyone wont get the full amount. As with the first two stimulus payments, third-round stimulus checks will be phased-out for people with an adjusted gross income above a certain amount on their 2019 or 2020 tax return. If you filed your most recent tax return as a single filer, your third stimulus check will be phased-out if your AGI is $75,000 or more. That threshold increases to $112,500 for head-of-household filers, and to $150,000 for married couples filing a joint return.
Third-round stimulus checks are reduced to zero pretty quickly. They are completely phased out for single filers with an AGI above $80,000, head-of-household filers with an AGI over $120,000, and joint filers with an AGI exceeding $160,000.
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Not everyone is eligible for a third stimulus check. In a nutshell, you generally dont qualify for a third-round payment if:
- You could be claimed as a dependent on someone elses tax return
- You dont have a Social Security number or
- Youre a nonresident alien.
If the IRS determines that youre not eligible for a third-round stimulus check, then you wont get one.
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Havent Received Your Third Stimulus Check Call The Irs Phone Number And Tell Them
If you havent received your third government stimulus payment yet, theres a way to track it down without going to the IRS website and navigating the seemingly endless maze of menu links, FAQs and status messages.
Stimulus Update: States Give Out Thousands of Bonus $1,000 Checks Will You Get One?
Just pick up your phone and punch in these 10 numbers: 800-919-9835. Thats the IRS Economic Impact Payment phone number, which connects you with a live representative.
As noted on the Toms Guide website, the phone number is a good option if you have a hard time navigating the IRSs dedicated stimulus check website, or if you have a question that cant be answered on the site.
Just keep in mind that the IRS has been overwhelmed with inquiries during the pandemic, with millions of Americans clogging up the phone lines to ask about their tax refunds, stimulus payments and other benefits.
More: A Petition Nearing 3 Million Signatures Calls for $2,000 Monthly Stimulus Checks for Every American
When you call the number, youll likely be greeted by an automated recording that will attempt to help you before youre connected with a live representative. Be prepared to sit on hold for a while, and make sure you have your questions and basic personal information ready.
Meanwhile, something you should never do is accept phone calls from someone claiming to be with the IRS the IRS never calls. If someone calls you claiming to be with the IRS, they are almost certainly trying to scam you.
Recommended Reading: Do You Have To File 2020 Taxes To Get Stimulus
Who Is Eligible For The Third Economic Impact Payment And What Incomes Qualify
Generally, if you are a U.S. citizen or U.S. resident alien, you are eligible for the full amount of the third Economic Impact Payment if you are not a dependent of another taxpayer and have a valid Social Security number and your adjusted gross income on their tax return 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 statuses, such as single filers and married people filing separate returns.
Payments will be phased out or reduced — above those AGI amounts. This means taxpayers will not receive a third payment if their AGI exceeds:
- $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 other filing statuses, such as single filers and married people filing separate returns.
For example, a single person with no dependents and an AGI of $77,500 will normally get a $700 payment . A married couple with two dependents and an AGI of $155,000 will generally get a payment of $2,800 . Filers with incomes of at least $80,000 , $120,000 and $160,000 will get no payment based on the law.
Did They Send Out Stimulus Checks In 2021
While some payments of the Economic Impact Payments from 2021 may still be in the mail, including, supplemental payments for people who earlier this year received payments based on their 2019 tax returns but are eligible for a new or larger payment based on their recently processed 2020 tax returns.
Also Check: How Do You Apply For Stimulus Check
How Much Money Will I Get From The Third Stimulus Check
Most households that received an earlier stimulus check will get one again, but the amounts are different this time. The baseline:
- $1,400 to each adult
- $1,400 to each dependent meaning, anyone claimed on a tax return, including older adults, disabled adults, and child dependents of any age
- For example, a family of four could potentially receive $5,600
The dependent eligibility is different from the second stimulus check, but there are a lot of caveats to be aware of. Its important to read through the information on the IRS website or this CNN article. A few important highlights:
- Dependents dont receive their own stimulus checks funds are sent to the household
- If you share custody of a dependent, both you and the other parent could get stimulus checks, depending on how you file your taxes
- You are still eligible to receive a stimulus check if you owe child support
- If you have more or fewer dependents since the last time you filed taxes for instance, a new child was born into your family you should update your number of dependents by filing your 2020 tax return
Payments will be sent out in a few weeks via direct deposit, as physical checks, or via Economic Impact Payment debit cards.
Tip: Signing up for direct deposit with the IRS could help you get your refund even faster than waiting for a check or Economic Impact Payment debit card to arrive in the mail.
Are Adult Dependents Getting Third Stimulus Checks
The new stimulus plan expands eligibility to adult dependents, including college students, elderly relatives and disabled adults.
The text of the plan redefines the term dependent according to section 152 of the tax code, which includes both qualifying children and adults: Section 152 provides that the term dependent means a qualifying child ) or a qualifying relative ).
While the plan pays out $1,400 for each qualifying dependent, families should keep in mind that the targeted lower income ranges exclude them if they earn over $160,000.
For reference, the second stimulus checks provided additional $600 payments for qualifying dependents under the age of 17. So a couple filing jointly with three eligible children could get a maximum second payment of $3,000 .
Under the first and second rounds of stimulus checks, children and adult dependents over the age limit could not get an additional payment, and they did not qualify for a stimulus check of their own either.
With the new stimulus plan, however, both joint filers and heads of household get an additional $1,400 payment for each dependent, regardless of age. The table below breaks down the third stimulus checks for heads of household with one dependent:
| Stimulus Checks for Heads of Household & 1 Dependent |
| AGI |
| $120,000 and up | $0 |
Don’t Miss: How To Qualify For Stimulus Check 2
What Should I Do If I Can’t Find My Letter
If you don’t receive Letter 6475 , you can find the information on your stimulus payments on your IRS account. If you don’t have one set up, you can create an ID.me account on the IRS website to verify your details.
For more, here’s what to do with that IRS letter for your child tax credit payments and how to file your taxes on your phone.
How Is The Third Stimulus Check Calculated
The stimulus plan mandates the treasury to rely on 2019 and 2020 tax returns to calculate how much you could get for the third round of stimulus checks.
Congress approved limits based on adjusted gross income ranges. This means that taxpayers making less than the minimum threshold could get the full stimulus check, while those earning above it get reduced payments until they are fully phased out at higher incomes.
You can find your AGI on IRS form 1040. This is calculated by subtracting deductions like student loan interest, health savings account payments, and contributions to a traditional IRA from your gross income.
By contrast, your gross income is the total amount of money that you made during the tax year, including wages, dividends, capital gains, rental property income and other types of revenue.
Your 2019 taxes had to be filed by July 15, 2020. And your 2020 taxes are due by the extended deadline of May 17. You can read more about when to file your tax returns for the third stimulus check, and other IRS requirements in two tax sections below.
Read Also: When’s The Stimulus Check Coming
How To Claim Your $1400 Stimulus Check In 2022
- 10:37 ET, Dec 29 2021
SOME Americans can claim a $1,400 stimulus check in the new year.
However, there is specific criteria to follow to receive the cash in 2022.
The new payment will go out to people who were eligible for the third round of stimulus checks that went out earlier this year, but haven’t yet received them.
The last lot of checks are due to go out when eligible taxpayers file their 2021 tax return next year.
More Money For Certain Families
One big change with third stimulus checks is that an extra $1,400 is tacked on to your payment for any dependent in the family. For the first- and second-round payments, the additional amount allowed $500 for first-round payments and $600 in the second round was only given for dependent children age 16 or younger. As a result, families with older children, including college students age 23 or younger, or with elderly parents living with them, didn’t get the extra money added to their previous stimulus payments. That’s not the case for third-round stimulus checks.
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How Much Is The Recovery Rebate Credit For 2021
This tax season, you want to make sure that you’ve received the full amount of the third stimulus that you’re entitled to receive. You need to file a 2021 federal income tax return to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit if you’re owed more money.
The maximum Recovery Rebate Credit on 2021 returns amounts to $1,400 per person, including all qualifying dependents claimed on a tax return. A married couple with no dependents, for example, could qualify for up to $2,800.
How Much Is The Third Stimulus Check
This third round of stimulus checks includes a $1,400-per-person direct payment. This amount tops off the $600 payment most eligible folks have already received as part of a previous COVID-19 relief package Congress passed at the end of December 2020 for a total of $2,000 in stimulus payments per person. So how much should your stimulus check be? Find out with our stimulus calculator!
The stimulus payments are one part of Bidens much larger COVID-19 relief plan that also expands the Child Tax Credit, extends unemployment benefits for people who have lost their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic, increases the Child and Dependent Care Credit, and provides more aid for renters and landlords.4 Yep, its a mouthful. Well take a closer look at what else is included later.
Recommended Reading: Track My 3rd Stimulus Check
Would More People Qualify For A Check
Millions more Americans could qualify for a check if Mr. Biden’s plan is passed as he originally envisioned. One of his goals is to expand the payments to adult dependents, who were excluded from the first two rounds of checks.
That exclusion meant college students who are claimed as dependents on their parents’ taxes, as well as disabled adults who are claimed as dependents, didn’t qualify for checks. Because the two previous relief checks defined a child as someone younger than 17 years, they also excluded high school students who are 17 or 18. Mr. Biden’s plan would extend the payments to older teenagers.
However, Mr. Biden’s seeming willingness to target the checks to lower-income households could drastically reduce the number of households that would qualify for a check. For instance, the IRS said it sent 30 million payments to households earning more than $75,000 during the first round of stimulus checks. Under the income thresholds reported by the Washington Post $50,000 for single earners and $100,000 for married couples it’s likely many of those households wouldn’t qualify for the full $1,400 check.
Where Is My Third Stimulus Check
You can track the status of your third stimulus check by using the IRS Get My Payment tool, available in English and Spanish. You can see whether your third stimulus check has been issued and whether your payment type is direct deposit or mail.
When you use the IRS Get My Payment tool, you will get one of the following messages:
Payment Status, which means:
- A payment has been processed. You will be shown a payment date and whether the payment type is direct deposit or mail or
- Youre eligible, but a payment has not been processed and a payment date is not available.
Payment Status Not Available, which means:
- Your payment has not been processed or
- Youre not eligible for a payment.
Need More Information, which means:
- Your payment was returned to the IRS because the post office was unable to deliver it. If this message is displayed, you will have a chance to enter your banking information and receive your payment as a direct deposit. Otherwise, you will need to update your address before the IRS can send you your payment.
Also Check: Have All Stimulus Checks Been Sent