Over 1 million Americans failed to claim the stimulus payment known as the Recovery Rebate Credit on their 2021 tax returns, according to a December announcement from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The maximum payment that those taxpayers may receive, out of the $2.4 billion that is scheduled to be delivered, would be $1,400 per individual. The IRS started paying qualified people who didn’t apply on the 2021 return late last year.
This is how Americans can get their $1,400 stimulus payment if they haven’t filed taxes yet
Eligible taxpayers will get a separate letter informing them of the payment, and payments will be either by paper check or immediately directly deposited. According to the IRS website, only taxpayers whose IRS data indicates they are eligible for the credit will receive these 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit payments. Those who filed a 2021 tax return but whose stimulus payment data field was either left empty or entered in with $0 when they were entitled to the credit are considered qualified taxpayers.
If you file and claim this stimulus payment by the deadline of April 15, you can still be entitled to a refund even if you haven’t filed your 2021 tax return yet. Even if their earned income, company, or other sources were negligible or nonexistent, eligible taxpayers who did not file a return must do so to be eligible for the Recovery Rebate Credit. The IRS typically only permits you to request a refund or credit within three years, so if you haven’t gotten this payment yet, your window for getting it closes on April 15.
The other stimulus payment that residents in New York can claim for
In New York State, there is ongoing discussion regarding whether Governor Kathy Hochul’s promised inflation relief check is realistic and will materialize in 2025. Hochul originally planned for the state’s residents to receive this stimulus payment in February, but in remarks to different media outlets, the governor stated that they would arrive in March. She explained that this was because of budget negotiations and logistical issues, which caused New Yorkers to question whether she would eventually follow through on her promises.
Since taking office, Hochul has distributed over $5.5 billion in tax breaks, rebates, and supplemental payments. Her top priority in the 2025 State of the State Report was to implement this benefit, which was set at a $500 payment for families making less than $300,000 annually and a $300 payment for individual taxpayers making less than $150,000. Through the New York stimulus payment, the state’s extra sales tax revenue—driven by inflation—will be used to provide over $3 billion in direct payments to 8.6 million taxpayers throughout the state in 2025.
Moreover, Governor Hochul plans to reinvest the revenue generated through the sales tax in middle-class families next year, starting with the proposed inflation rebate checks of up to $500. This is in response to the high cost of living in New York, as the state’s economy is still struggling. It should be noted that beneficiaries would need to have filed their tax returns on time to receive this stimulus payment. The delivery of resources, which would start to be distributed in the fall of 2025 if the State Legislature authorizes it, is not yet underway, though, as of mid-March.
How do people know if they qualify for this stimulus payment?
This stimulus payment is available to you if you and your family are low- or middle-income, are struggling daily to make ends meet during the crisis, have previously received state tax relief or relief payments, and reside in the state of New York.
