There were three federal stimulus checks, officially called Economic Impact Payments, issued during the COVID-19 pandemic. Congress authorized them through three separate laws signed between March 2020 and March 2021, and together they sent about $931 billion to roughly 165 million Americans.1U.S. Government Accountability Office. Stimulus Checks: Direct Payments to Individuals during the COVID-19 Pandemic No fourth federal stimulus check has been authorized.
The Three Rounds at a Glance
Each round had its own dollar amount, income cutoff, and rules for who counted as a dependent. The basics:
- Round 1 (CARES Act, March 2020): up to $1,200 per adult, $2,400 per couple, $500 per child under 17.
- Round 2 (Consolidated Appropriations Act, December 2020): up to $600 per adult, $1,200 per couple, $600 per qualifying child.
- Round 3 (American Rescue Plan Act, March 2021): up to $1,400 per adult, $2,800 per couple, $1,400 per dependent of any age.
Round 1: The CARES Act
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act became law on March 27, 2020.2U.S. Department of the Treasury. About the CARES Act and the Consolidated Appropriations Act Individuals received up to $1,200, married couples filing jointly received up to $2,400, and families got an additional $500 per qualifying child under 17.3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 26 USC 6428 – 2020 Recovery Rebates for Individuals
Full payments went to single filers earning up to $75,000 and joint filers earning up to $150,000. Above those thresholds, the payment shrank by $5 for every $100 of additional income, hitting zero at $99,000 for a single filer with no children.3Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 26 USC 6428 – 2020 Recovery Rebates for Individuals
This was the only round in which payments could be seized to cover past-due child support. The IRS distributed 168.2 million payments totaling $280 billion.4U.S. Government Accountability Office. Direct Payments to Individuals during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Round 2: The Consolidated Appropriations Act
The second round came from the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, signed on December 27, 2020.5Congress.gov. H.R.133 – Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 Payments were smaller: $600 per individual and $1,200 for married couples. The per-child amount rose to $600.6Congress.gov. Public Law 116-260 – Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021
Income thresholds and the 5% phase-out matched the first round.6Congress.gov. Public Law 116-260 – Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 Because the IRS already had the distribution system in place, deposits landed quickly. In total, 152.4 million payments went out, worth $147.9 billion.4U.S. Government Accountability Office. Direct Payments to Individuals during the COVID-19 Pandemic Unlike the first round, these payments were protected from garnishment for child support, federal tax debts, and most other government obligations.
Round 3: The American Rescue Plan Act
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 authorized the biggest payments of the three: $1,400 per eligible individual and $2,800 for married couples filing jointly. It also expanded who counted. The first two rounds paid only for qualifying children under 17; the third round paid $1,400 for every dependent regardless of age, including college students and adult dependents with disabilities.7Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 26 USC 6428B – 2021 Recovery Rebates to Individuals
The phase-out was steeper. Payments still began reducing at $75,000 for single filers and $150,000 for joint filers, but zeroed out at $80,000 for a single filer with no dependents and $160,000 for a couple with no dependents.7Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 26 USC 6428B – 2021 Recovery Rebates to Individuals The IRS issued 175.8 million payments totaling $409.6 billion, making this the largest round by total spending.4U.S. Government Accountability Office. Direct Payments to Individuals during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Why Some People Remember Getting Four or Five Payments
If you remember more than three deposits, there are two likely explanations, and neither involves a fourth federal round.
The first is a “plus-up” adjustment. The IRS calculated each payment using the most recent tax return on file. When a newer return later showed lower income or an additional dependent, the IRS sent a supplemental deposit to cover the difference. Someone whose 2020 income dropped from 2019, for example, might have received a smaller first-round payment based on the 2019 return, then received a top-up once the 2020 return was processed. Plus-ups were especially common during the third round. Every dollar still came from one of the three legislative authorizations.
The second is a state-level rebate. Several states sent their own direct payments to residents, branded as inflation relief or cost-of-living rebates, generally ranging from about $150 to $1,050 depending on the state, household size, and income. These programs were funded from state budgets and had their own eligibility rules; they were not federal stimulus checks.
Missed a Payment? The Claim Deadlines Have Passed
The only way to claim a missing stimulus payment was through the Recovery Rebate Credit on a federal tax return. Federal law generally allows three years from the return’s original due date to file for a refund. The first and second payments were tied to tax year 2020, so the deadline to claim them was April 15, 2024. The third payment was tied to tax year 2021, with a deadline of April 15, 2025.8Internal Revenue Service. Publication 5486-A Both deadlines have expired, and anyone who did not file by the applicable date has forfeited the credit permanently.
The payments themselves were structured as refundable tax credits paid in advance, so they were not taxable income and did not have to be reported on a federal return. Recipients who received more than their actual-year income would have qualified for were not required to repay the difference.9U.S. Department of the Treasury. Economic Impact Payments