When Will Your Third Stimulus Check Arrive?
The American Rescue Plan authorizes a third round of stimulus checks. When might you receive your payment?
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- Newsletter sign up Newsletter

The IRS started sending third stimulus check payments just a couple of days after President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act. In less than a week, 90 million Americans had pocketed a total of $242 billion in stimulus payments. But that was just the first wave of payments. More stimulus checks will be sent – mostly by direct deposit, but some through the mail as a paper check or debit card. So, if you're eligible for a payment (not everyone is) but haven't received your third stimulus check yet, hang in there.
We don't know yet how long it will take to distribute all payments. Hopefully, it will be a matter of weeks, not months, before the vast majority of third stimulus checks are delivered. We shall see. In any event, whether you get your payment in the next few days or in a couple of weeks, at least you know payments will be sent soon. And since the IRS has bank account information for more Americans than it did when first-round stimulus checks were being processed, they'll be able to deposit payments directly into bank accounts for most eligible Americans. This will speed up the payment process considerably. That's good news for people who lost income because of the pandemic and desperately need the extra cash.
[Stay on top of all the new stimulus bill developments – Sign up for the Kiplinger Today E-Newsletter (opens in new tab). It's FREE!]

Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
Tracking Your Third Stimulus Check
The IRS fired up the popular "Get My Payment" tool again so that you can track the status of your third stimulus check. The online tool lets you:
- Check the status of your stimulus payment;
- Confirm your payment type (paper check or direct deposit); and
- Get a projected direct deposit or paper check delivery date (or find out if a payment hasn't been scheduled).
For more information about the tool, see Where's My Stimulus Check? Use the IRS's "Get My Payment" Tool to Get an Answer.
Calculating Your Third Stimulus Check Amount
Under the American Rescue Plan, every eligible person will receive a $1,400 third stimulus check "base amount." For married couples that file a joint tax return, the base amount is $2,800. Then, for each dependent in your family, an additional $1,400 will be tacked on.
But not all people will receive the full amount. As with the first two stimulus payments, third-round stimulus checks will be reduced – potentially to zero – for people reporting an adjusted gross income (AGI) above a certain amount on their latest 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 jumps to $112,500 for head-of-household filers, and to $150,000 for married couples filing a joint return. Third-round stimulus checks will be 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.
Your filing status, AGI, and number of dependents will be taken from either your 2019 or 2020 return. If your 2020 return is already filed and processed when the IRS is ready to send your payment, your stimulus check will be based on information from your 2020 return. If your 2020 return isn't filed and processed at that point, the IRS will use your 2019 return. If your 2020 return is filed and/or processed after the IRS sends you a stimulus check, but before August 16, 2021 (or September 1 if the May 17 filing deadline is pushed back any further), the IRS will send you a second 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.
You can use our handy Third Stimulus Check Calculator (opens in new tab) to get a customized estimated payment amount. All you have to do is answer three easy questions.
For more information about your third stimulus check, see Your Third Stimulus Check: How Much? When? And Other FAQs.
Rocky was a Senior Tax Editor for Kiplinger from October 2018 to January 2023. He has more than 20 years of experience covering federal and state tax developments. Before coming to Kiplinger, he worked for Wolters Kluwer Tax & Accounting and Kleinrock Publishing, where he provided breaking news and guidance for CPAs, tax attorneys, and other tax professionals. He has also been quoted as an expert by USA Today, Forbes, U.S. News & World Report, Reuters, Accounting Today, and other media outlets. Rocky has a law degree from the University of Connecticut and a B.A. in History from Salisbury University.
-
-
401(k) Plans: 10 Things You Should Know
Retirement When it comes to 401(k) plans, it's your money. But your boss and the government make the rules. 10 things you should know.
By David Rodeck • Published
-
Lawmakers Propose Tax Hikes to Combat Climate Change
Climate change is prompting some lawmakers to propose property tax hikes to fund mitigation efforts while scientists say that global warming could reach a critical level in less than a decade.
By Kelley R. Taylor • Published
-
Lawmakers Propose Tax Hikes to Combat Climate Change
Climate change is prompting some lawmakers to propose property tax hikes to fund mitigation efforts while scientists say that global warming could reach a critical level in less than a decade.
By Kelley R. Taylor • Published
-
Etsy, eBay, PayPal Want IRS 1099-K Relief for Online Sellers
Companies like ebay, Etsy, and PayPal want Congress to raise the new $600 reporting threshold for IRS Form1099-K to give relief to millions of sellers who use their sites.
By Kelley R. Taylor • Published
-
Key RMD Deadline is Just Around the Corner
The IRS is reminding some retirees of an important required minimum distribution (RMD) deadline that is about a week away.
By Kelley R. Taylor • Published
-
Pink Tax: What Does Price Discrimination Cost Women?
Women's History month is a good time to revisit the “pink tax”—a form of price discrimination that’s banned in many states but costs women millions of dollars each year.
By Kelley R. Taylor • Published
-
Biden Wants a Wealth Tax: Should Billionaires Pay More?
Debate over how much tax billionaires and millionaires should pay is heating up given the wealth in the Biden budget.
By Kelley R. Taylor • Last updated
-
Tax Day 2023: When Is the Last Day to File Your Taxes?
tax deadline Tax Day for most of us is April 18. This is when Federal income tax returns are due. But some people have some extra time to file. Are you one of them?
By Rocky Mengle • Published
-
Income Tax Brackets for 2023 Are Set
Although the federal tax rates didn't change, the tax bracket income ranges for the 2023 tax year are adjusted to account for inflation.
By Rocky Mengle • Published
-
Tax Withholding Adjustments Can Boost Your Paycheck Now and Avoid Penalties Later
W-4 form If you've had too much or too little tax withheld from your paychecks, there's still time to submit a new Form W-4 to change your tax withholding for the rest of the year.
By Rocky Mengle • Published