There is no federal stimulus check in 2025. Congress has not passed any legislation authorizing a new round of Economic Impact Payments, the IRS has marked its stimulus program as historical, and the deadline to claim any leftover money from the pandemic-era rounds passed on April 15, 2025. One bill proposing new rebates has been introduced in the Senate, but it has not moved out of committee.
The One Bill on the Table
The American Worker Rebate Act (S. 2475), introduced by Senator Josh Hawley, is the most prominent 2025 proposal for a new federal payment. It was referred to the Senate Committee on Finance in July 2025 and has not advanced.1Congress.gov. S.2475 – 119th Congress (2025-2026) – American Worker Rebate Act of 2025 The bill would fund the rebates from tariff revenue rather than general tax dollars.2GovInfo. S. 2475 – American Worker Rebate Act of 2025
If it were to become law, the payments would work like this:
- At least $600 per person, including dependents with a valid Social Security Number. If nationwide tariff revenue exceeded $600 per capita, the rebate would rise to match.
- Full rebate available up to $75,000 income for single filers, $112,500 for head of household, and $150,000 for joint filers.
- Payments phase down by $5 for every $100 of income above those thresholds and end at $198,000.
- Payments would go out in 2026, based on 2024 tax returns.
Most bills introduced in Congress never receive a committee vote. This one has no co-sponsors and no companion bill in the House. Treating a payment from it as likely would be a mistake, and no other federal stimulus bill is close to passage.
The Deadline to Claim Past Stimulus Money Has Passed
In late 2024, the IRS automatically sent payments to roughly one million taxpayers who were eligible for the third Economic Impact Payment but never claimed the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit on their tax returns.3Internal Revenue Service. Economic Impact Payments Those automatic payments are complete.
If you never filed a 2021 tax return and believe you were eligible, the deadline to file and claim that credit was April 15, 2025.4Internal Revenue Service. Publication 5486-A – 2020 and 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit Federal law gives taxpayers three years from a return’s due date to claim a refund, with no extension once that window closes. If you missed it, the money is no longer available.
EIP Cards With a Remaining Balance
If you were issued a prepaid debit card (an EIP Card) during any of the three past rounds and still have money on it, the card itself may have expired even though the funds have not. A replacement is available at no cost by calling 1-800-240-8100. Cards reissued after August 2025 come branded as Mastercard instead of Visa, and your balance carries over unchanged.5Internal Revenue Service. Publication 5420-B – A Step-by-Step Guide to Using the IRS Non-Filers Tool
Watch for Stimulus Check Scams
Every time stimulus checks return to the news, so do scams built around them. The IRS identified email and text impersonation as the top tax scam heading into 2026, and flagged more than 600 social media impersonators in fiscal year 2025.6Internal Revenue Service. Dirty Dozen Tax Scams for 2026 Many of them reference stimulus payments, refunds, or “unclaimed” credits to create pressure.
The IRS will not:7Internal Revenue Service. Report Fake IRS, Treasury or Tax-Related Emails and Messages
- Email you without your prior permission.
- Send unsolicited texts or social media direct messages.
- Call to demand immediate payment, threaten arrest, or announce a refund by phone.
- Ask you to click a link or scan a QR code to verify an account or claim a payment.
The IRS contacts taxpayers by mail first in virtually every situation. Any message pushing you to act immediately, hand over personal information, or click a link to receive a stimulus payment is a scam. Report suspicious contact to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration at tigta.gov or 800-366-4484.8Internal Revenue Service. TIGTA – Fraud Is Real! Just Hang Up on Fraud If a real stimulus bill ever passes, it will be posted on congress.gov and reported by major news outlets well before any payment goes out. No one has to “sign up” or “verify” to receive a legitimate federal stimulus check.
State Rebates May Still Apply
Several states have issued their own rebates, tax credits, or property tax relief payments, and these are separate from anything Congress does. Eligibility and amounts vary widely: some states have paid one-time surplus rebates, others have expanded ongoing credits for families or seniors. Because they are funded from state budgets, qualifying for one does not depend on federal action. Check your state’s department of revenue website for current programs and deadlines.
Federal Tax Credits That Still Deliver Money
If you are looking for federal money you may be entitled to right now, the Child Tax Credit is the most widely available. It is worth up to $2,200 per qualifying child, with up to $1,700 refundable for lower-income families, meaning you can receive it even if you owe no tax.9Internal Revenue Service. Child Tax Credit Unlike a stimulus check, it is claimed on your annual tax return rather than sent as a separate payment.
The three past rounds of Economic Impact Payments were structured as advance refundable tax credits, not income.10Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 26 USC 6428 – 2020 Recovery Rebates for Individuals That means they were not taxable, did not reduce any regular refund, and did not increase any tax bill. If Congress passes a new payment, it will almost certainly follow the same structure, but until a bill is signed into law, no federal stimulus check is coming in 2025.