In March 2021, President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act, which authorized a third round of federal stimulus checks worth up to $1,400 for each eligible person ($2,800 for couples), plus an additional amount of up to $1,400 for each dependent. The IRS issued all the third-round stimulus checks by the end of 2021, but eligible people who didn't receive a check last year can still get stimulus money by filing a 2021 tax return now and claiming the recovery rebate credit. (And some Americans will also get a state "stimulus check" this year.)
However, not everyone who is eligible for a third stimulus check got the full amount (or will get the full amount through the recovery rebate credit). As with the first- and second-round payments, the third-round stimulus checks were reduced – or eliminated – for people with an income above a certain amount.
To see how large your third stimulus payment should have been, answer the three questions in the calculator below and we'll give you a customized estimate.
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.
Different Phase-Out Rate
Although the income levels at which third stimulus checks started to phase out (i.e., be reduced) were the same as the amounts used for the first two stimulus payments, the rate at which the phase-out occurred was different. As a result, you may not have gotten a third stimulus check even if you received payments in one or both of the first two rounds.
More Money for Certain Families
One big change with third stimulus checks was that an extra $1,400 was 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.
Amount Based on 2019 or 2020 Tax Return
For third-round stimulus payments, eligibility and amounts were based on either your 2019 or 2020 return. If your 2020 tax return wasn't filed and processed by the IRS by the time the tax agency started processing your third stimulus payment, then the IRS used information from your 2019 tax return. If your 2020 return was already filed and processed when the IRS was ready to send your payment, then your stimulus check eligibility and amount was based on the information on your 2020 return. If your 2020 return was filed and/or processed after the IRS sent you a third stimulus check, but before December 1, 2021, the IRS sent you a second "plus-up" 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 have been higher or lower depending on when you filed your 2020 tax return.
State Stimulus Checks in 2022
As mentioned earlier, many states are sending payments to their residents in 2022 to help with high inflation and other economic woes. For the most part, these payments come from a budget surplus or federal COVID-relief funds. To see if your state is sending (or has sent) a payment this year, see States Sending Stimulus Checks.
-
Year-End Tax Planning for a Financially Healthier RetirementGetting your tax ducks in a row for the end of the year can decrease your tax liability and make the most of your income, now and in retirement.
-
Where to Start Financially After a Life-Changing Diagnosis
Dealing with an illness, yours or your child’s or that of another loved one, is hard enough without adding financial duress. Here are some considerations and suggestions for covering expenses.
-
IRS Announces Florida Tax Relief Following Hurricane Idalia
Tax Deadline In response to the severe damage caused by Hurricane Idalia, the IRS has extended tax deadlines for affected Floridians.
-
Warning: Watch Out for New IRS Refund Mail Scam
Tax Scams If you receive a cardboard envelope appearing to be from the IRS about an unclaimed tax refund, be cautious. It’s a new scam.
-
Your Frequently Asked Tax Questions Answered: Kiplinger Tax Letter
Kiplinger Tax Letter The Kiplinger Tax Letter receives a lot of reader tax questions and its editor, Joy Taylor answers a selection of them.
-
Supreme Court: Yes, the IRS Can Secretly Obtain Your Bank Records
The Supreme Court has sided with the IRS in a case that involves owing the IRS money, taxpayer privacy, and notice.
-
IRS Processing Improvements Could Bring Faster Tax Refunds
IRS An IRS paperless processing initiative and other service and technology improvements mean taxpayers could see faster tax refunds next year and beyond.
-
Supreme Court to Decide if IRS Can Secretly Obtain Bank Records
Among other high-profile issues, the Supreme Court is considering a case involving taxpayer privacy and the IRS.
-
IRS Says File By July 17 for $1.5 Billion in Unclaimed Tax Refunds
Unclaimed tax refunds from 2019 are waiting for millions of people who might not know it – but only if they file the pandemic-era tax return soon. Are you one of them?
-
IRS $80 Billion Plan Targets Taxpayer Compliance, Improved Service
The IRS unveiled its much-anticipated strategic operating plan detailing how the agency will spend $80 billion in funding allocated over 10 years under the Inflation Reduction Act.
