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Millions of Americans received stimulus checks during the COVID-19 pandemic, but not everyone ever received the money they were eligible for. Years later, some payments from 2020 and 2021 remain unclaimed. According to Marca, those funds have not yet disappeared and can still be recovered through legal IRS channels.

If you never received a stimulus payment, or if a paper check was lost, misplaced, or expired, there may still be a way to claim the money before it is permanently archived by the US Treasury.

Why some stimulus checks were never received

Several factors contributed to stimulus payments going unclaimed. Marca reported that in many cases, paper checks were mailed to outdated addresses and never reached recipients. Administrative errors, including incorrect Social Security Numbers or ITIN details, also disrupted payments.

Confusion around eligibility played a significant role as well. Many low-income earners, self-employed individuals, and immigrants whose legal status changed during the pandemic assumed they did not qualify. As a result, they never filed the tax return required to trigger the payment.

Stimulus payments from 2020 and 2021 are no longer automatic

The IRS has stopped issuing automatic stimulus checks. According to Marca, anyone who missed payments from 2020 or 2021 must now claim the money through the Recovery Rebate Credit.

This credit allows eligible taxpayers to request unpaid stimulus funds directly when filing or amending their federal tax return.

How to claim missing stimulus money through the Recovery Rebate Credit

To recover unpaid stimulus funds, taxpayers must claim the Recovery Rebate Credit on their federal tax return.

If you already filed your return for the relevant year but did not claim the credit, the IRS allows you to correct that mistake by submitting Form 1040-Xan amended tax return. This form enables taxpayers to add credits or payments that were missed in the original filing.

How to check if the IRS already issued your stimulus payment

Before submitting any paperwork, taxpayers are advised to confirm whether a stimulus payment was already issued. This can be done in three main ways:

IRS Online Account

Taxpayers can log into their IRS Online Account to view their Economic Impact Payment history, including payment amounts, dates, and delivery methods.

IRS tax transcripts

Requesting tax transcripts for 2020 and 2021 can reveal whether a stimulus payment was authorized, issued, or returned.

IRS Notice 1444 or 1444-A

These official notices were sent when stimulus payments were issued. Keeping or locating these letters can help confirm whether funds are still owed.

While recovery options still exist, unclaimed stimulus payments will not remain accessible indefinitely. Once administrative deadlines pass, the US Treasury may permanently close access to these funds.

Tax experts advise eligible individuals to verify their payment status and file the necessary paperwork as soon as possible to avoid losing money they are legally entitled to receive.