Most people have already received all of their Economic Impact Payments from the IRS, so they will not be eligible to claim a Recovery Rebate Credit.
Individuals who have not received any stimulus payments or have received less than the full amount may be eligible to claim a Recovery Rebate Credit on their 2020 or 2021 tax return.
If you qualify for the credit, you must file a 2020 tax return to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit, even if you normally don’t file a tax return.
The Economic Impact Payments were based on 2018 or 2019 tax year information. Although the Recovery Rebate Credit is similar, the eligibility and amount are based on the 2020 tax year information you include on your 2020 tax return.
Claiming the Recovery Rebate Credit
To claim your Recovery Rebate Credit, you will need to know the amount of all Economic Impact Payments issued to you. You can find the information about the payment amounts you received in your IRS online account.
If your adjusted gross income is $73,000 or less, you can file your tax return electronically for free through the IRS Free File Program. You can also use commercial tax prep software to prepare and file your tax return and it will help you figure your Recovery Rebate Credit.
The fastest way to get a tax refund, which would include your Recovery Rebate Credit, is with direct deposit.
For more detailed information, feel free to refer to the Recovery Rebate Credit FAQ on the official IRS website.
Calculating the Recovery Rebate Credit for a 2020 tax return
If you qualify for the Recovery Rebate Credit, you will need the amount of any Economic Impact Payments you received to calculate the amount of the Recovery Rebate Credit.
In order to determine if you are eligible for the credit, use the Recovery Rebate Credit Worksheet in the 2020 Form 1040 and Form 1040-SR Instructions PDF.
Finding my Economic Impact Payment Amounts
You can find the amount of the Economic Impact Payments in the following ways:
- Your online account: you can view your Economic Impact Payment amounts on your online account at IRS.gov/account. The amounts are shown on the Tax Records tab/page under the section “Economic Impact Payment Information”.
- IRS letters: you can also consult Notice 1444, which shows the amount of the first Economic Impact Payment, and Notice 1444-B, which shows the amount of the second Economic Impact Payment.
If you don’t have your notices and don’t have an online account, see How to Register for Certain Online Self-Help Tools to get information on how to create an online account.