What the IRS "Get My Payment" Tool Does

Get My Payment is a tool on the IRS website that lets you check the status of certain payments the IRS has sent to you — primarily economic impact payments (stimulus checks) issued during the COVID-19 pandemic. The tool shows you whether a payment was mailed, deposited to your bank account, or is still being processed. It does not let you request a payment or change how you receive money; it only shows you what has already happened with payments already in the system.

The tool is free and requires no login. You enter your Social Security number, date of birth, and street address, and the IRS database returns information about payments associated with that account. The information updates once per day, usually overnight, so checking multiple times in a single day will show the same status.

Get My Payment is specific to economic impact payments from 2020, 2021, and 2022. It does not track tax refunds, quarterly estimated tax payments, or other types of IRS correspondence. If you are looking for information about a different kind of payment, you will need a different tool or to contact the IRS directly.

Key Takeaways

  • Get My Payment shows only the status of economic impact payments (stimulus checks), not tax refunds or other IRS payments.
  • The tool requires your Social Security number, date of birth, and street address but no login or password.
  • Payment status updates once per day, so checking multiple times on the same day will show identical information.
  • If Get My Payment says your payment was mailed but you never received it, you can report it missing and request a replacement check or bank deposit.
  • The tool is located at irs.gov/coronavirus/get-my-payment and is maintained by the Internal Revenue Service.

How to Use Get My Payment Step by Step

Go to irs.gov and search for "Get My Payment," or navigate directly to the tool's page. The IRS website will ask you to enter three pieces of information: your Social Security number (or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number if you do not have an SSN), your date of birth, and your current street address. Do not include your apartment number or unit number in the street address field — enter only the house or building number and street name.

After you submit this information, the IRS database searches for payments tied to that Social Security number. The results page will show one of four statuses: "Payment Status Not Available," "Payment Pending," "Payment Sent," or "Payment Received." Each status means something different about where your payment is in the process.

If you see an error message saying the information does not match IRS records, double-check your Social Security number and date of birth for typos. If you recently moved, make sure you have entered your current address, not a previous one. If the information is correct and you still get an error, the IRS may not have a record of a payment for you, or there may be a delay in the system updating.

What Each Payment Status Means

"Payment Status Not Available" means the IRS has no record of a payment sent to the Social Security number you entered. This can happen if you did not file a tax return for the year the payment was issued, if the IRS has not yet processed your return, or if you are not may have access to to that particular payment. It can also mean the information you entered does not match IRS records exactly.

"Payment Pending" means the IRS has approved a payment for you but has not yet sent it. The payment is in the queue and should be processed within the next one to two weeks, though delays can occur. The tool does not tell you when the payment will be sent, only that it has not been sent yet.

"Payment Sent" means the IRS has mailed a check to the address on file or has sent the payment to your bank for direct deposit. If the status says "Payment Sent" and shows a mailing date, the check should arrive within two to three weeks of that date, depending on postal service speed. If it shows a bank deposit date, the money should have arrived on or shortly after that date.

"Payment Received" appears only if the IRS has confirmed that your bank received and processed a direct deposit. This status does not appear for mailed checks, because the IRS cannot confirm when a check arrives in your mailbox.

What to Do If Your Payment Was Mailed but Never Arrived

If Get My Payment shows "Payment Sent" with a mailing date from more than three weeks ago, and you have not received the check, you can report it missing. On the Get My Payment results page, there is a link to report an undelivered payment. Click that link and follow the prompts to request a replacement.

When you report a missing payment, the IRS will ask whether you want a replacement check mailed to you or a direct deposit to your bank account. If you choose direct deposit, you will need to provide your routing number and account number. Direct deposit is faster — usually two to three weeks — than waiting for a replacement check to arrive by mail.

After you report the payment missing, the IRS will send you a confirmation letter by mail. Keep this letter for your records. The replacement payment will take several weeks to process, so do not expect when ready results.

Direct Deposit Versus Mailed Check

The IRS uses the bank account information from your most recent tax return to decide how to send your payment. If your return shows a bank account, the IRS will attempt direct deposit first. If direct deposit fails — for example, because the account is closed or the routing number is wrong — the IRS will mail a check instead.

Direct deposit payments typically arrive within two to three weeks of the "Payment Sent" date shown in Get My Payment. Mailed checks typically arrive within two to three weeks of the mailing date, though weather, postal delays, and address issues can extend that timeline.

If you want to change how you receive a payment that has not yet been sent (status shows "Payment Pending"), you cannot do so through Get My Payment. You would need to contact the IRS directly by phone or mail. If the payment has already been sent, you cannot change the delivery method; you can only report it missing and request a replacement using the method described above.

When Get My Payment Does Not Have Your Information

Get My Payment searches only for economic impact payments from 2020, 2021, and 2022. If you are looking for information about a different payment — such as a tax refund, a Child Tax Credit payment, or an Advance Child Tax Credit payment from 2021 — you will need to use a different tool or contact the IRS.

For tax refunds, use the "Where's My Refund?" tool on irs.gov, which tracks the status of refunds from your tax return. For Child Tax Credit payments or other types of payments, contact the IRS directly at 1-800-829-1040 (the main IRS customer service line) or visit your local IRS office.

If you believe you should have received an economic impact payment but Get My Payment shows no record of it, you may be able to claim it on your tax return. The IRS allows you to report missing payments when you file, and the amount will be added to your refund or subtracted from taxes you owe.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to create an account or log in to use Get My Payment?

No. Get My Payment requires no login, password, or account creation. You enter your Social Security number, date of birth, and current street address, and the tool returns your payment status when ready. The IRS does not store this information or create a profile for you.

Why does Get My Payment say my payment was sent but I never received it?

Mailed checks can be delayed or lost in the mail, especially if you have moved recently or if your address on file with the IRS is incorrect. If more than three weeks have passed since the mailing date shown in Get My Payment, you can report the payment missing and request a replacement check or direct deposit.

Can I use Get My Payment to check on my tax refund?

No. Get My Payment tracks only economic impact payments from 2020 to 2022. To check on a tax refund, use the "Where's My Refund?" tool on irs.gov instead. That tool requires your Social Security number, filing status, and the refund amount.

What if the information I entered does not match IRS records?

Double-check your Social Security number and date of birth for typos. Make sure you are entering your current street address, not a previous one. If the information is correct and you still get an error, contact the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 to verify your account information.

How often does Get My Payment update?

The tool updates once per day, usually overnight. Checking multiple times on the same day will show the same status. If your status changes, it will appear the next day after the update.