You may have already received your third stimulus check. But that doesn’t mean you can stop paying attention to what is happening to the $1,400 payments. And if you’re one of those still waiting to receive your check, we’ll help you track your stimulus money and explain what could be holding it up. Whether you’ve received your check or are still waiting, you want to keep an eye on the amount of money you expect to receive. That’s because the IRS might actually owe you a “plus-up payment,” an adjustment for folks who are eligible for a bigger chunk of change as a result of their 2020 tax return and more. 

With the tax deadline now May 17, plus-up payments could continue to arrive for months while the IRS processes returns and refunds. Meanwhile, first-time deliveries are still arriving in the mail, and the IRS is sending fresh checks to people who recently filed a tax return giving needed information for the IRS to send out payments (this includes nonfilers).

We’ll give you all the information you need today to understand stimulus checks — including why your payment could be delayed, how to report a problem and when to file a payment trace. If you have kids, brush up on the monthly child tax credit (here’s how much you’ll get). Millions of people could also save thousands on health care costs. Find out if your state owes you money, and here’s the latest on student loan debt forgiveness and a fourth stimulus check. This story has been updated.

Important stimulus plus-up payment information

A stimulus check plus-up payment is more money that the IRS and Department of the Treasury owe you for your stimulus check. You may get it for a number of reasons, but the bottom line is that if you’re not paying close attention, you may not realize you should expect the supplement. That’s why we strongly suggest you know how much money you should expect this stimulus round, track your payment and hold onto this IRS letter. We don’t want you leaving money on the table if you’re owed a plus-up payment that for whatever reason never arrives.

This is important, too: Plus-up payments are being delivered on a weekly basis, but only for this third check. A plus-up does not cover any money missing from the first two stimulus checks. We suggest you also know where to find your adjusted gross income. Tax nonfilers may need to be proactive about claiming a new dependent.

If your stimulus payment arrived through direct deposit, that’s how you should expect to receive your plus-up money, too. If the IRS doesn’t have your details on file, you may get a paper check instead (here’s how you’ll track it in the mail).

What if you get a smaller payment than you think you should?

The IRS isn’t particularly big on communicating how much money it calculates for your stimulus check. You won’t find that figure in the agency’s online tracking tool, but you will see it in the confirmation letter you’ll receive in the mail. (And here’s why you got the payment size you did.) 

So what happens if you use our stimulus check calculator and notice the numbers seem way off, or the IRS letter quotes an amount you didn’t receive? Start by triple checking your qualifications to make sure you’re eligible for the total you expect. Remember the IRS is automatically sending plus-up payments after the agency receives your 2020 tax return. If you had a baby or added a dependent in 2020, you won’t need to file an amended tax form to claim the supplement.

The IRS could open up claims for missing stimulus money before its Dec. 31 deadline to stop sending checks. If not, you might have to wait a year to claim it — when you file your 2021 taxes in 2022 (even if you’re a nonfiler who isn’t typically required to file taxes).

IRS stimulus check timeline from now through December

While the IRS and Treasury say they’ve sent the bulk of stimulus check payments (at least the initial sums), the text of the March stimulus law gives these agencies until Dec. 31, 2021 to send all the third checks. That buys time to finish processing 2020 taxes, including for people who are owed plus-up payments, folks who file a 2020 tax extension and other groups, like those who moved or don’t have a fixed address (i.e., people experiencing homelessness).

If all or part of your stimulus check doesn’t arrive by then, you’ll need to claim your missing money via a 2021 tax return in April 2022, a year from now. This would be similar to the Recovery Rebate Credit for claiming missing money from the first two checks, which is currently in effect for 2020 taxes.

What to know about tracking your stimulus check

Knowing the status of your payment is an important part of making sure you know where your full payment stands. Keep an eye out in the Get My Payment tracker tool for plus-up payments or other information about your payment. The details are updated once a day, and can flag if there’s a problem with your payment that you may need to address by giving you a message.

You can also use a free tool from the USPS to track your mailed stimulus payment.

Common reasons all or part of your stimulus money didn’t arrive 

• There was a calculation error and you need to claim an adjustment or wait for a plus-up payment.
• You receive SSDI or SSI benefits or veterans benefits and are waiting for your check to show up.
• Your check is stuck in the mail. (Here’s how to track it.)
• You may not receive money for all of your dependents, including a new baby or older adult.
• The IRS based your third stimulus check on your 2019 taxes and you’re owed money for your 2020 AGI or dependents.
• You may be a nonfiler who needs to file a 2020 tax return to claim dependents.
• Your stimulus check was deposited into a closed or temporary bank account.
• You moved and the IRS doesn’t have your correct mailing address to send a check.
• Your payment may be garnished by private debt collectors.
• You accidentally threw away the mailed envelope

Also, here’s what to know if the IRS sent a letter confirming it sent your stimulus payment, but the money never arrived. Here’s more information on problems you might encounter with your stimulus check.

Got a problem with your stimulus payment? Here’s what you have to do

The IRS doesn’t want you to call if you have any issue with the delivery or amount of your stimulus check. So what to do instead? Our guide walks you through how to report stimulus check problems, including checks that never arrive (try filing a payment trace), direct deposit payments that go to the wrong account and other issues.

Must-know: Your 2020 taxes could make all the difference

Taxes are now due May 17. So how will the IRS figure out how much it owes you? It will calculate your total (you can also do that here) based on the most recent tax filing it’s processed at the time it’s ready to tabulate the amount of your stimulus check.

If you know your tax return was already processed, your total will likely be based on your 2020 adjusted gross income, not on your 2019 AGI. That presents complications if the difference between the two years disqualifies you from getting a third stimulus check. 

On the flip side, if the IRS uses your 2019 taxes and you’re owed more money based on your 2020 AGI and dependents, you could get a plus-up payment. If you got more money than you’re owed, you’ll only need to return it to the IRS in some cases. 

Stimulus details for veterans, SSDI, SSI

Veterans receiving VA benefits and people who get SSDI and SSI benefits began receiving stimulus checks from the IRS and Treasury. Delivery details should now be available in the Get My Payment tool. 

You might get your stimulus money through direct deposit to existing Direct Express cards if this is how you normally receive benefits, and if you didn’t file taxes in 2019 or 2020. Otherwise, the money could come in the mail (here’s what to look for so you know it’s legit). The SSA says that Social Security beneficiaries like SSI and SSDI groups will not receive an EIP debit card. 

If you’re a tax nonfiler and you used the IRS’ Non-Filers tool by November 2020 to submit information, you may have already received your check before other Social Security recipients. 

More stimulus details for these groups to know

Stimulus checks aren’t necessarily a one-size-fits-all situation. Here are guides for:

• Households with dependents, or people trying to understand if they’d receive their own check.
• People who live outside the US or aren’t US citizens.
• People who aren’t sure if they’re qualified to receive their own stimulus check.
• Older adults and people who are retired.
• People who don’t normally pay taxes (tax nonfilers).
• Families with child support situations.
• Families with mixed-status citizenship.

And here’s everything you need to know about the third stimulus check, how to calculate your stimulus total and every way the stimulus law can bring you more money.