Where to check your stimulus payment status

The IRS has a tool called Where's My Refund? that tracks stimulus payments alongside tax refunds. You can reach it at irs.gov/refunds. The tool updates once per day, usually overnight, so checking multiple times in the same day will show the same information.

If you received a stimulus payment by direct deposit, the status tool will show the routing and account number where the deposit went. If payment was mailed as a check or debit card, the tool shows the expected delivery date based on your ZIP code. The tool works for all three rounds of stimulus payments: the 2020 Economic Impact Payments, the 2021 payments, and the 2022 payments.

You will need either your Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, plus your filing status from your most recent tax return. If you filed jointly, either spouse can check the status using their own number.

Key Takeaways

  • The IRS Where's My Refund tool at irs.gov/refunds shows stimulus payment status, delivery method, and expected arrival date.
  • The tool updates once daily and requires your Social Security number and filing status from your last tax return.
  • If your payment was mailed, the tool shows the expected delivery window based on your ZIP code, which can be two to four weeks after the payment date.
  • If you never received a payment you believe you were owed, you may be able to claim it on your next tax return using Form 1040-SR or Form 1040.
  • Scammers impersonate the IRS to steal stimulus information; the real IRS initiates contact by mail, never by phone or email.

What the status tool actually tells you

The Where's My Refund tool shows one of three statuses: Payment Pending, Payment Sent, or Payment Status Not Available. Payment Pending means the IRS has processed your return but has not yet released the payment. Payment Sent means the payment has left the IRS and is on its way to you—either in the mail or deposited to your bank account.

If the status shows Payment Sent and you chose direct deposit, the deposit should land in your account within one to three business days. If payment was mailed as a check, delivery takes longer. The tool shows the expected delivery date based on when the check was mailed and your ZIP code. Checks mailed to rural areas or ZIP codes with slower mail service may take three to four weeks to arrive.

Payment Status Not Available means either the IRS does not have enough information to locate your payment, or the payment was issued more than a year ago and the tool no longer tracks it. If you see this message for a recent payment, wait a few days and check again—the tool sometimes lags behind the IRS processing system.

If your payment never arrived

If the status tool shows Payment Sent but you never received the money, the next step depends on how the payment was supposed to reach you. For direct deposits that never landed, contact your bank first. Ask them to search their records for an incoming transfer from the IRS during the window the status tool showed. Banks can sometimes locate deposits that appear to have failed or been routed to the wrong account.

If your bank has no record of the deposit, the IRS may have sent it to an old account number. This happens when you change banks between filing your tax return and receiving the stimulus payment. In this case, you will need to claim the payment on your next tax return. Use Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR (for people 65 and older) and report the payment as a Recovery Rebate Credit. The IRS will compare what you claim against their records and send you the difference if you were underpaid.

For checks that never arrived, wait at least four weeks from the mailing date shown in the status tool before assuming it is lost. If four weeks have passed and you still have not received it, contact the IRS at 800-829-1040 to request a replacement. Have your Social Security number, filing status, and the payment date ready. The IRS can issue a new check or, in some cases, a payment by direct deposit instead.

Stimulus payments and tax returns

If you did not receive a stimulus payment you believe you were owed, you can claim it on your tax return even if you do not normally file. The Recovery Rebate Credit allows you to report stimulus payments you did not get and receive the money as part of your refund.

You will need to know the payment dates and amounts for each round you missed. The first round (2020) was up to $1,200 per person. The second round (2021) was up to $600 per person. The third round (2022) was up to $1,400 per person. If you were claimed as a dependent on someone else's return, you were not owed a stimulus payment directly, so you cannot claim it yourself.

When you file your return, the IRS will match your claim against their records. If they show you already received the payment, they will reduce your refund by that amount. If their records show you were owed money but never received it, they will include the unpaid amount in your refund.

Protecting yourself from stimulus payment scams

Scammers have impersonated the IRS to steal stimulus payment information and banking details. The real IRS never initiates contact by phone, email, or text message about stimulus payments. They contact people by mail only, and only if there is a problem with your return or payment.

If someone calls or emails claiming to be from the IRS asking for your bank account number, Social Security number, or payment information, hang up or delete the message. Do not click links in unsolicited emails claiming to be from the IRS. If you want to check your payment status, go directly to irs.gov/refunds in your browser—do not click a link from an email or text.

If you have already given out personal information to someone claiming to be from the IRS, contact your bank when ready and ask them to monitor your account for unauthorized activity. You can also report the scam to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration at tigta.gov.

Timing and what to expect

The IRS released stimulus payments in waves rather than all at once. The first round began in April 2020, the second in January 2021, and the third in March 2022. If you filed your tax return after the initial wave, your payment was processed later. Some people received payments months after the official announcement date.

The Where's My Refund tool shows the status as of the most recent update, which happens once per day. If you check in the morning and see Payment Pending, checking again that afternoon will show the same status. Checking the next day may show a different status if the IRS processed your payment overnight.

If the tool shows your payment was mailed and you live in an area with slower mail service, add one to two weeks to the expected delivery date shown. Rural routes and some ZIP codes in the Mountain West and Alaska routinely take longer than the standard estimate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I check the status of someone else's stimulus payment?

No. The Where's My Refund tool requires the Social Security number of the person who received the payment. If you are checking for a spouse, you can use either spouse's number. For children or dependents, you cannot check their individual status—their payments are tied to the parent or guardian's return.

What if the status tool says my payment was sent but my bank says they never received it?

Contact your bank and ask them to search for incoming transfers from the IRS during the payment window. If they find nothing, the deposit may have been sent to an old account. Claim the payment on your next tax return using the Recovery Rebate Credit, and the IRS will send you the unpaid amount with your refund.

How long does it take to get a replacement check if mine was lost?

The IRS typically issues replacement checks within two to four weeks of your request. Call 800-829-1040 with your Social Security number and the original payment date. Ask whether they can send a replacement check or issue payment by direct deposit instead, which is faster.

Do I have to pay taxes on my stimulus payment?

No. Stimulus payments are not taxable income and do not reduce your refund or increase what you owe. You do not report them as income on your tax return.

What if I was claimed as a dependent—can I get a stimulus payment?

No. Dependents were not owed stimulus payments in any of the three rounds. If you were claimed as a dependent on your parent's or guardian's return, they received the payment on your behalf, and you cannot claim it separately.