The opportunities to claim or file for the first stimulus payment (issued in March and April 2020) or the second stimulus check (issued by Jan. 15, 2021) or the third stimulus check (issued between March and December 2021) have now passed.
The deadline to file for the third and last stimulus check was April 15, 2025, it marked a three-year deadline to claim any tax refunds or in this case, the $1,400 Recovery Rebate Credit for that year -- 2021.
Even if you received a tax extension, you still needed to file your 2021 tax return by the April 15, 2025 deadline to claim that third stimulus check. There are no extensions or appeals available for missed deadlines, and any unclaimed stimulus payments become the property of the U.S. Treasury.
While rumors and speculation about a fourth stimulus check of $2,000 have surfaced on social media and unverified websites, there has been no official confirmation from Congress or the IRS to support this claim and any such news should be taken with caution as it could be misinformation or attempted fraud.
In February, President Donald Trump said he would consider the plan to pay out $5,000 stimulus checks to taxpayers in the form of a "DOGE dividend" during a summit in Miami. He explained it as using part of the 20% of the savings identified by Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and giving it back to taxpayers. However, he has not shared any further specifics or details about the possible 'DOGE dividend' or its certainty since then.
Here's what to know about tracking your tax refund and when to expect it.
If you filed your federal taxes electronically and included your banking information, then you may expect a direct deposit within 21 days. If you did not include banking information, then you may expect a paper check refund via the mail within 6-8 weeks.
Submitting your return is not the same as the IRS accepting your return. Once it is accepted, you will know it has if you see a "Refund Sent" alert when you check your tax return status online, at which point you won't have to wait too long for the funds to show up in your account.
Once the IRS approves your refund, it could hit your bank account within days via the direct deposit option.