What IRS Relief Payments Are and Who Gets Them

IRS relief payments are direct deposits or checks sent by the U.S. Treasury to individual taxpayers during specific circumstances — usually economic hardship, natural disaster, or pandemic-related disruption. The IRS does not offer a standing relief program you can request at any time. Instead, Congress authorizes relief payments in response to particular events, and the IRS distributes them automatically to people who meet the criteria set for that specific payment round.

The most recent large-scale relief payments were the Economic Impact Payments (stimulus checks) issued in 2020, 2021, and 2022 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Before that, the IRS issued relief payments after Hurricane Katrina and other disasters. Each payment has its own rules about who receives money, how much, and whether you need to take any action.

Because relief payments are authorized by Congress for specific events, there is no single answer to "Am I may be able to access?" — it depends entirely on which payment program you are asking about. However, the may be able to access rules for past payments follow patterns that help you understand how the IRS typically structures these programs.

Key Takeaways

  • IRS relief payments are authorized by Congress for specific events and are not a permanent program you can request on your own.
  • The most recent relief payments were the three rounds of Economic Impact Payments (stimulus checks) sent between 2020 and 2022.
  • may be able to access for each payment round depends on income, tax filing status, and citizenship or residency status at the time Congress authorized that payment.
  • The IRS typically sends relief payments automatically to people who meet the criteria; you usually do not need to take action unless you did not receive a payment you were owed.
  • If you believe you were owed a relief payment but did not receive it, you can claim it on your tax return or contact the IRS using the payment lookup tool.

Income and Filing Status Requirements for Past Relief Payments

The Economic Impact Payments issued in 2020, 2021, and 2022 used income thresholds to determine payment amounts. The income limits varied slightly between the three rounds, but the general structure was the same: higher earners received smaller payments or no payment at all.

For the 2021 and 2022 payments, the income phase-out began at $75,000 for single filers, $112,500 for heads of household, and $150,000 for married couples filing jointly. The payment reached zero at $80,000 for single filers, $120,000 for heads of household, and $160,000 for married couples. The 2020 payment used slightly different thresholds. Your filing status — single, married filing jointly, married filing separately, head of household, or may have access to widow(er) — determined which income limit applied to you.

You also had to have a valid Social Security Number and be a U.S. citizen or resident alien. Dependents — including children and adult dependents — were treated differently in each round. In 2020 and 2021, dependent children under 17 may have access to for a payment. In 2022, the rules changed slightly. Non-citizens without a Social Security Number, even if they filed taxes, did not receive payments.

How the IRS Determined Who Received Payments Automatically

The IRS used tax return information to identify people who met the income and filing status requirements. If you filed a 2019 tax return (for the 2020 payment), a 2020 return (for the 2021 payment), or a 2021 return (for the 2022 payment), the IRS had your income and filing status on file and could calculate your payment amount automatically.

The IRS sent payments by direct deposit if you had provided banking information on a recent tax return, or by check or debit card if no banking information was available. Payments were sent in waves over several months, so not everyone received their payment on the same date.

If you did not file a tax return in the relevant year, you were not automatically sent a payment, even if your income was low enough to may have access to. However, the IRS later created a non-filer registration tool that allowed people without recent tax returns to provide their information and receive a payment. This tool was available for a limited time during each payment round.

What to Do If You Did Not Receive a Payment You Believe You Were Owed

The IRS provides a payment status lookup tool on its website where you can enter your Social Security Number, date of birth, and filing status to see the status of each Economic Impact Payment. The tool shows whether a payment was sent, the date it was sent, and the method (direct deposit, check, or debit card). If the tool shows a payment was sent but you never received it, the next step depends on the payment method.

If a payment was sent by direct deposit but did not arrive in your account, contact your bank to ask whether the deposit was rejected or returned. If it was returned, the IRS may have sent a replacement check. If a check was sent but you never received it, you can request a replacement check through the IRS website or by calling the IRS.

If the payment status tool shows no payment was sent, you may have been missed because you did not file a tax return that year or because your income information was not in the IRS system. In this case, you can claim the payment as a refundable tax credit on your next tax return. You will need to file a return for the year the payment was authorized (2020, 2021, or 2022) and claim the Economic Impact Payment credit. The IRS will then send you the payment you were owed, usually as part of your refund.

Dependents and Relief Payments

Dependents — people claimed on someone else's tax return — were treated as separate payment recipients in the 2020 and 2021 rounds, but the rules changed in 2022. In 2020 and 2021, dependent children under age 17 each received a payment (usually $500 per child in 2020 and $1,400 per child in 2021). Adult dependents and dependents age 17 and older did not receive separate payments.

In 2022, the rules shifted. Only dependent children under age 17 received a payment, and the amount was $1,400 per child. However, the definition of who counted as a dependent for this purpose was narrower than in previous years. If you claimed a dependent who did not receive a payment you believe they were owed, you can claim the credit on your tax return for the year the payment was authorized.

Non-Citizens and Relief Payments

To receive an Economic Impact Payment, you had to have a valid Social Security Number issued by the Social Security Administration. Resident aliens with Social Security Numbers were treated the same as U.S. citizens for payment purposes. Non-citizens without a Social Security Number — including undocumented immigrants and some visa holders — did not receive payments, even if they filed a tax return and paid taxes.

Some states and localities created their own relief programs for non-citizens who were excluded from federal payments. These programs vary widely by location and are not administered by the IRS. If you are a non-citizen who did not receive a federal relief payment, contact your state or local government to ask whether a separate program is available in your area.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get a relief payment if I am not a U.S. citizen?

Federal IRS relief payments require a valid Social Security Number, so non-citizens without one do not receive them. Some states and cities have created separate relief programs for non-citizens. Contact your state or local government office to learn what may be available where you live.

What if my income was below the limit but I did not file a tax return?

The IRS used tax return information to send payments automatically. If you did not file a return, you were not sent a payment automatically, even if you were owed one. You can claim the payment as a refundable tax credit by filing a return for the year the payment was authorized (2020, 2021, or 2022).

Can I get a relief payment for a dependent who did not receive one?

If you claimed a dependent who met the age and relationship requirements but did not receive a payment, you can claim the credit on your tax return for that year. You will need to file a return and claim the Economic Impact Payment credit for each dependent owed a payment.

How do I know if a relief payment was sent to me?

Use the IRS payment status lookup tool on the IRS website. Enter your Social Security Number, date of birth, and filing status to see whether each Economic Impact Payment was sent, when it was sent, and how it was sent (direct deposit, check, or debit card).

What if I received a relief payment but I think I was not supposed to?

You do not need to return a relief payment you received. These payments are not loans. However, if you received a payment in error — for example, because you were claimed as a dependent on someone else's return — the IRS may adjust your tax return or contact you. Keep records of any payments you received in case the IRS asks questions later.