Time’s Nearly Up to Grab Your $1,433 IRS Stimulus Check
If you missed the final pandemic stimulus payment that the IRS sent out, you’re running out of time. April 15, 2025, is the last day you can still claim that $1,433 check, and with tax season here, many folks don’t even realize that’s the deadline. About a million eligible Americans still haven’t received the money, so the claiming steps can’t be ignored or put off any longer.
The Missing Pandemic Relief
To soften the blow of the COVID-19 pandemic, the government sent out three rounds of Economic Impact Payments to most Americans. The first check was 1,200 and the follow−upwas600; both went out in 2020. The last payment, which was $1,433, came in March 2021.
Each of these checks was meant to be more than pocket cash; they were designed to stabilize the economy when job losses were soaring. The final payment was part of the American Rescue Plan because it aimed to help families bounce back from the financial damage that COVID had dealt.
Why Some Americans Missed Their Economic Impact Payment
When big events shake up our lives—like the pandemic did—financial help sometimes gets lost in the shuffle. Some families thought they didn’t qualify when, in fact, they did. Others simply missed the box on the 2021 taxes. Those with very low income, who don’t usually file taxes, were hit the hardest.
If that’s you, the IRS wants you to remember: to receive the Recovery Rebate Credit, you still have to file. Even if you made very little or no money, filing the 2021 return is still the key to getting the payment.
How to Find Out if You’re Eligible and Get Your Money
The IRS’s Get My Payment tool is the easiest way to see what’s going on with your Economic Impact Payment. Just enter some basic information, and the site will tell you if the payment is on its way or if you need to do something to still get it.
If you didn’t file taxes for 2021, you need to submit that return, even if you usually don’t need to. If you already filled it out but didn’t ask for the credit, don’t worry—the IRS started automatically sending out the payments in January 2025 for those cases and will keep doing that until everyone who is eligible gets the help.
Because the IRS only lets you claim the Recovery Rebate Credit for three years after the payment was supposed to come, this tax season is your last chance to get that money. Miss the April 15 deadline, and you’ll lose the payment for good—no appeals, no exceptions.
Free Help Right on Tax Day
Even if you’re rushing, the IRS still offers plenty of no-cost help for anyone filing at the last minute. If you made less than $67,000 last year, if you’re over 65, if you have a disability, or if English isn’t your first language, trained volunteers will sit with you or help you over the phone until your return is finished. For anyone trying this credit for the first time, the IRS website breaks the process into tiny, easy-to-digest chunks and highlights exactly what to do to catch the payments you may have missed.
Watch for Scam Calls, Fake Emails, and Texts
Even with the deadline looming, the bad guys never take a break. Phony IRS agents will use the urgent deadline to trick you into sharing Social Security numbers or sending money. Legitimate IRS letters never demand same-day payment, nor do they threaten to call the police. If you receive a surprise call, text, or email, hang up or delete it and call the IRS by the number on a trusted website. Don’t let the calendar rush you into reckless clicks or desperate sharing that could cost you more than your missed refund.
FAQs
When’s the last day I can claim my $1,433 pandemic payment?
Mark your calendar for April 15, 2025—the last day to ask for the Recovery Rebate Credit.
Do I still have to file a return if I normally don’t pay taxes?
Yes, you still need to send in a 2021 tax return, no matter how little money you made.
How can I find out if I already got my money?
Go to the official IRS site and use the Get My Payment tool to check.
Is there a way to get my taxes done for free?
Absolutely! The IRS has free tax prep for folks who made under $67,000, seniors, and people with disabilities.
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