I missed my stimulus checks; can I still claim them?

Unfortunately, no. The deadlines to claim any of the three COVID-19 stimulus payments have now passed.

The only way to receive missing stimulus money was by claiming the Recovery Rebate Credit on your U.S. tax return for the year the payment related to:

• The first and second stimulus payments (2020) had to be claimed on a 2020 tax return filed by May 17, 2024.
• The third stimulus payment (2021) had to be claimed on a 2021 tax return filed by April 15, 2025.

If you did not file those returns by the required deadlines, the IRS no longer allows the credit to be claimed. After the three-year refund window closes, the funds expire and cannot be issued.

If you filed on time but didn’t receive the credit, the IRS issued some automatic corrections in late 2024 and early 2025. If you still haven’t received anything, it generally means you were either ineligible or your claim was denied.

While the stimulus payments can no longer be claimed, it’s still important for U.S. expats to stay compliant by filing their required tax returns. You may still qualify for other valuable benefits, even if the stimulus window has closed.

Updated Dec 12, 2025