US sending stimulus checks in 2025: here’s who is eligible for the payments

STATEN ISLAND, NY — A new round of stimulus payments totaling $2.4 billion is now being delivered to about 1 million Americans by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and you may be eligible for the automatic payment if you don’t you didn’t claim the Recovery Rebate Credit on your 2021 tax return.

“The IRS continues to work hard to make improvements and help taxpayers,” IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel said in a press release. “These payments are an example of our commitment to going the extra mile for taxpayers. By reviewing our internal data, we realized that a million taxpayers neglected to apply for this complex credit when they were actually eligible for it. To minimize headaches and get this money to eligible taxpayers, we are making these payments automatic, meaning these individuals will not have to go through the lengthy process of filing an amended return to receive it.

According to the IRS website, the Recovery Rebate Credit is a refundable credit for people who did not receive one or more Economic Impact Payments (EIPs), also called stimulus checks, in 2021.

“Most taxpayers eligible for EIPs have already received their EIP or Recovery Rebate Credit,” the website states. “Qualified taxpayers are those who filed a 2021 tax return, but for whom the Recovery Rebate Credit data field was left blank or was populated at $0 even though the taxpayer was actually eligible for the credit.

Payments vary depending on several factors, but the maximum payment is $1,400 per person, the agency noted. No action is necessary for eligible taxpayers to receive these payments, which are expected to arrive in most cases by the end of January 2025. Payments will be automatically deposited directly or sent by paper check; Eligible taxpayers will also receive a separate letter informing them of the payment.

For questions regarding eligibility and how the payment was calculated, visit 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit Questions and Answers » on the IRS website.