Stimulus Check Update: How Eligible Americans Can Claim Money In 2022

As the demand for a fourth stimulus check increases, there are some Americans who still haven’t received the third payment that was slated for 2021.

In March, millions of Americans received up to $1,400 in stimulus checks as a part of the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan. The IRS was tasked with sending out the payments and had until Dec. 31 to pay eligible Americans.

Now that the new year has arrived, there are still eligible Americans who haven’t been paid their stimulus check from the government. However, those eligible can still receive the payment by claiming the money on their 2021 tax return.

“If you’re eligible, you’ll need to file a 2021 tax return, even if you don’t usually file a tax return,” the IRS said in a statement.

Under the Recovery Rebate Credit, a person can list if they received stimulus money and those who were not paid can note how much their payment should have been.

Since tax returns from 2020 or 2019 were used to determine eligibility for stimulus checks in 2021, people who experienced a decrease in income could be owed more money.

Those who had babies in 2021 can also use the Recovery Rebate Credit Worksheet to claim their child’s stimulus check and may also be eligible to receive the full tax credit if they haven’t been receiving the monthly advance payments that started in July.

The IRS will be sending out a notice, Letter 6475, which will help individuals determine how much they were paid in stimulus check whether they are using a software tax program or filling out the IRS Form 1040 Recovery Rebate Credit Worksheet.

News of eligible Americans without stimulus checks comes amid reports Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev received a $1,400 payment.

On Wednesday, the U.S. attorney’s office in Boston filed documents to order the Federal Bureau of Prisons to give the money to the Clerk of the Court to pay Tsarnaev’s outstanding criminal monetary penalties, restitution to victims’ families, and other fees.