Is it time to trigger an IRS payment trace for your missing stimulus check? What to know

Tens of millions of people have already received their third stimulus check for up to $1,400. If yours hasn’t arrived yet, don’t panic: Millions more of the payments are on the way, including those for SSI and SSDI recipients and veterans in the next week. (Find out how to track your third stimulus payment, and the reasons why it might get delayed.) But in certain cases, if your third check doesn’t make it to you, you may need to take an extra step to track it down through the IRS. And there are a couple of different ways to do it, depending on your situation. 

Millions of eligible Americans never received their first or second stimulus check, or had money missing for their dependents. Now that it’s tax season, most of those people will need to file for that missing money on their tax return, as a Recovery Rebate Credit (even if you don’t usually file taxes). But some will need to contact the IRS directly and request something called a Payment Trace to track down your money. So how do you know what you need to do? We’ll help you figure it out. (We’ve also got information on how to report stimulus check problems to the IRS. And you can use our stimulus calculators to estimate the amount of money you should have received in the first check and the second check.)

We’ll explain everything you need to know about an IRS Payment Trace, including the two cases in which you may need to request one for any of your missing checks, and how to get started. We’ve also got stimulus payment guides for older adults, young adults, non-US citizens and those living abroad and people who pay or receive child support. Plus, here’s what we’re hearing so far about a potential fourth stimulus check, all of the tax credits you could claim this year and the child tax credit. This story was recently updated.

Payment Trace scenario 1: The IRS Get My Payment tool says the agency sent out your check, but it never arrived

The IRS is still sending out the third stimulus check to millions of people, so there’s a good chance that if you haven’t gotten yours yet, it’s still on the way. You can check the status of your third check using the free IRS tracking tool, called Get My Payment. We have full instructions on how to use the Get My Payment tool and the different messages you might see here. You’ll need to plug in your Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, date of birth, street address and ZIP or postal code. 

The portal will show your payment status, if your money has been scheduled to send, and the payment method (direct deposit or by mail) and date. You might also see a different message or an error. (Here’s how to track your mailed check through the USPS.)

You’ll need to request a Payment Trace if the Get May Payment portal shows that your payment was issued, but you haven’t received it within the following time frames.

When to request an IRS Payment Trace

Method of payment	Time passed since IRS says it sent your payment
Direct deposit	5 days
Check mailed to standard address	4 weeks
Check mailed to a forwarded address	6 weeks
Check mailed to a foreign address	9 weeks

This timeline was the same for the first and second checks as well. If your first or second stimulus checks were missing, you can no longer use the Get My Payment tool to track them down. Instead, you’ll need to view or create your online account with the IRS. To do that, you’ll need to provide your full name, email, birthdate, Social Security Number or Individual Tax Identification Number, tax filing status and current address. (We’ve got instructions on how to use your IRS online account here.)

We are several months past the deadline for the second check to arrive by direct deposit, by mail or by EIP card, including for US citizens who live in foreign countries. If your account shows that your payment was issued but you did not receive it, you’ll need to request a Payment Trace. 

Payment Trace scenario 2: You got a letter from the IRS confirming your payment was sent, but you never got a check

About 15 days after the IRS sends your third stimulus check (by either direct deposit, paper check or EIP card), you should get a letter from the agency confirming your payment and giving you a way to get in touch to report any problems. If you received this letter — also called Notice 1444 Your Economic Impact Payment — but you never received your payment, you’ll need to request a Payment Trace. Make sure you keep the letter — you’ll need the information to file your claim. (Here’s what to do if you lost the IRS letter about your stimulus check.) The same is true for the first and second checks as well. 

How to request a Payment Trace from the IRS to claim missing stimulus money

To request a Payment Trace, call the IRS at 800-919-9835 or mail or fax a completed Form 3911, Taxpayer Statement Regarding Refund. (Note that if you call the number, you’ll have to listen through the recorded content before you can connect with an agent.)

To complete Form 3911 for your third stimulus check, the IRS provides the following instructions: 

1. Write “EIP3” on the top of the form (EIP stands for Economic Impact Payment)
2. Complete the form answering all refund questions as they relate to your payment
3. When completing item 7 under Section 1:

• Check the box for “Individual” as the Type of return.
• Enter “2021” as the Tax Period.
• Do not write anything for the Date Filed.
• Sign the form. If you’re married and filing together, both spouses must sign the form.

You should not mail Form 3911 if you’ve already requested a trace by phone. And you should not request a Payment Trace to determine if you were eligible to get a check, or to confirm the amount you should have received, the IRS said. 

How does the IRS process Payment Trace claims? 

The IRS will do the following to process your claim, according to its website: 

• If you didn’t cash the check, the IRS will issue a replacement. If you discover the original check among your belongings, you’re expected to return it as soon as possible.
• If you did cash the refund check, expect a claim package from the Bureau of the Fiscal Service, which will include a copy of the cashed check. Then, follow the included instructions. The bureau will review your claim and the signature on the canceled check before deciding if it will issue a replacement. This is presumably to guard against stimulus check fraud.

When should you expect to receive your missing stimulus money after filing a Payment Trace?

You should get a response from the IRS about six weeks after the agency receives your request for a Payment Trace, according to its website. However, this could be delayed due to limited staffing. We’ve reached out to the IRS for more information.

For more on stimulus checks, here’s what we know about a potential fourth stimulus check so far and what else is in the stimulus package that should help you financially.