Who gets $1,400 stimulus checks? What you need to know about payments in January 2025

On January 14, 2025By Littum

Eligible US taxpayers are set to receive payments either by direct deposit or paper check.

The IRS is issuing stimulus checks to eligible taxpayers who did not claim the recovery discount credit on their 2021 tax return.
Eligible taxpayers do not need to take any action to receive the payment, as the IRS automatically sends it.

U.S. taxpayers could be in line to receive a stimulus check before the end of January if they didn’t claim the Recovery Rebate Credit on their 2021 tax return, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced.

The IRS said the decision came after reviewing internal data that showed eligible taxpayers who filed a return were not claiming the credit. The Recovery Rebate Credit is a “refundable credit for individuals who have not received one or more Economic Impact Payments (EIP), also known as stimulus payments,” according to the IRS.

“When we looked at our internal data, we realized that one million taxpayers overlooked claiming this complex credit when they were actually eligible,” IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel said in a news release. “To minimize headaches and get this money to eligible taxpayers, we’re making these payments automatic, meaning these people won’t be required to go through the extensive process of submitting an amended return to receive it.”

Here’s what eligible taxpayers need to know about stimulus checks, including how to receive them.

What must eligible taxpayers do to receive stimulus checks?

According to the IRS, eligible taxpayers do not need to do anything to receive the stimulus payments, which automatically expired in December and were due to arrive in late January of this year.

Taxpayers will receive the payments either by direct deposit or paper check, the IRS said.

How do taxpayers know if they are eligible for the stimulus payment?

Eligible taxpayers will receive a separate letter notifying them of the incoming stimulus payment.

In addition to the notice letters, taxpayers can also look back on their 2021 tax returns and see if they left the Recover Rebate Credit field blank or filled it in as $0.

How much money do taxpayers get?

Stimulus payments will vary, but the maximum amount an eligible taxpayer can receive is $1,400, according to the IRS.

The total estimated amount dispersed nationwide is $2.4 billion, the Internal Revenue Service said.

What if someone didn’t file their 2021 tax return?

Those who did not file a 2021 tax return could still be eligible to receive the stimulus check if they file their 2021 return and claim the recovery rebate credit by April 15, 2025, the IRS said.

“Eligible taxpayers who have not filed must file a tax return to claim a recovery discount credit even if their income from a job, business or other source was minimal or nonexistent,” according to the IRS.

This article was updated to include video.