Many Americans have missed their last chance to get the $1,400 stimulus check that was given out in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) gave people until April 15, 2025, to file their 2021 tax return. Now that the deadline has passed, the chance to claim the money is gone forever.
This payment was a big help during the pandemic, especially for low-income households. But many people didn’t know they had to file a tax return to get it. Now, by law, there’s no way to get this money anymore.
Why You Can’t Claim the $1,400 Stimulus Check Anymore
The $1,400 payment was part of the third round of Economic Impact Payments, sent out in 2021. If someone didn’t get the full amount at that time, they could claim the rest by using the Recovery Rebate Credit on their 2021 tax return.
The deadline to file that return was in April 2022, but the IRS gave people extra time—until April 15, 2025. That extra time is now over, and the money can no longer be claimed.
What Money Was Lost Along With the Stimulus?
It’s not just the $1,400 check that’s now out of reach. Other types of money tied to 2021 tax returns are also gone. This includes:
- Refundable tax credits like the Earned Income Tax Credit or Child Tax Credit
- Refunds from paycheck with holdings
- Any pending IRS refunds for 2021
The amount of money lost can range from a few hundred to even a few thousand dollars per person, depending on their situation. And sadly, once the deadline passes, there’s no appeal or way to get the money back. By law, the money goes directly to the U.S. Treasury.
Why Did So Many People Miss Out?
The people who lost out the most are those who had very low or no income in 2021. They were not required to file taxes, so many thought they didn’t need to do anything to get the stimulus money. Others may have thought they already received the full amount and didn’t check.
The IRS says over 1 million people hadn’t claimed their 2021 refund before the deadline. That’s a huge number of people who now have no way to get their money.
What Can You Do Now?
If you missed the 2021 deadline, there is nothing you can do to claim that year’s refund or stimulus check. But you can still check your tax returns for 2022 or 2023. If you’re owed money for those years, you can still claim it.
The IRS gives you three years from the original deadline of each tax return to claim any refund. After that, the money is gone for good. So staying on top of tax deadlines can really help protect your finances.