If you got your third stimulus check, don’t toss that IRS letter. Here’s why, and what to do with it

If you qualified for the third stimulus check and you’ve already received it, you should get a letter from the IRS a few weeks later confirming your payment. The IRS has already sent 164 million payments since March, either through direct deposit or in the mail, with payments going out on a weekly basis. If you received your payment but think the amount is wrong — double-check the math here — or if you haven’t received your payment at all, keep the IRS letter. 

If you never got the IRS letter or you lost it, we’ll explain how to get a copy to claim missing stimulus money through an IRS payment trace. The letter — officially called Notice 1444-C — can be used to claim the money that you’re owed from the March stimulus package. Let’s say, for example, the IRS based your stimulus payment amount on your 2019 taxes, but you made less money in 2020 — this means you could be eligible for more money than you actually received. This might also be the case if you had a new baby or gained a dependent that the IRS didn’t account for when calculating your payment total. Also note that If you had a change of address recently, you’ll need to make sure your mail is coming to your current address — you should inform both the IRS and the US Postal Service. 

May 17 is the official Tax Day this year. You could be one of the millions of people who didn’t get 2020 stimulus payments that you were eligible for, in which case you need to claim a recovery rebate credit when you file your 2020 tax return. (You can use our first stimulus payment calculator and second payment calculator to see your estimated total.) You can also read more about a fourth stimulus check and how you could get a discount on your internet bill.

The IRS letter is more important than you think

The IRS letter that arrives about 15 days after your third stimulus check, which confirms your payment, is officially called Notice 1444-C. Signed by President Joe Biden, the letter shows you the amount you were paid and how you were paid — by mail or direct deposit. The letter also advises you to check the Get My Payment tracker or call a phone number at the bottom of the letter if you’ve not received your check.

With the two first stimulus payments, the IRS also sent a confirmation letter in the mail within 15 days of your payment going out — Notices 1444-A and 1444-B. Those two letters could help you claim missing stimulus money on your taxes this year.

If you believe you received the wrong amount — such as a dependent was skipped — or the total doesn’t match the estimated amount from our stimulus calculator, it could indicate that you may need to hunt down your missing money using this letter. The IRS advises you to hold on to the letter for your 2021 tax records. What this really means is that it’s useful if you need to claim missing money in the future, as you can now on your 2020 taxes as a recovery rebate credit for the first two checks.

Here’s more information on using the recovery rebate credit worksheet to figure out the credit from the first two checks that you can claim on your 2020 taxes. You’ll essentially enter the total amount you determine you’re owed on line 30 of the 2020 1040 (PDF) or 1040-SR (PDF) tax forms.

Be sure the IRS has your most current mailing address

The IRS would have mailed a notice to your last known address with information on your payment. You’ll need to inform the IRS and USPS if you’ve moved. The IRS needs to independently have your correct information on file.

If you lost the IRS letter or never got it, these are your options

If you don’t have the IRS confirmation letter, you should be able to find the information in your federal tax account, using the IRS website. 

If you don’t have an account set up with the IRS, head to the agency’s account page and tap the blue button that says Create or view your account to get started. You’ll need to have some information on hand to set up your account, including tax and financial information, plus an email address and a mobile phone number to receive activation codes. For married couples filing jointly, each spouse will need to log in to their own account.

How to register with the IRS to check on your account

The IRS online registration process can take about 15 minutes. During the setup process, the IRS will first email and then text you two activation codes. If the codes don’t come through, the agency will mail you a letter with an activation code, which can take five to 10 days to get to you. If you want to track the letter, you can use this free service from the USPS.

Once you’ve set up your online account with the IRS, you can check your account for the information contained in the notice. If your stimulus payment information is not available when you check, the IRS said it should be in the coming weeks.

Here’s more about tax season and your stimulus check, everything you need to know about the third stimulus check and what we know about child tax credit payments.