IRS Announces New Stimulus Check Eligibility Rules—See If You Qualify and Claim Your Money

Millions of Americans are googling “IRS stimulus checks eligibility” after social-media posts claimed new payments are on the way. Here’s what’s really happening—and how to know if you qualify for any money the IRS is still authorized to distribute. WHY THE TERM IS TRENDING • Viral posts falsely promise a fourth “$2,000 tariff rebate” or a fresh $1,400 direct deposit this winter, but Congress has not passed any new economic-impact-payment legislation, and the IRS has not scheduled another nationwide stimulus run. • The last federal stimulus checks—up to $1,400 per person—were issued in 2021. Late filers could still claim that money through the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit, but the final filing deadline (April 15 2025) has now expired. WHO WAS ELIGIBLE FOR THE 2021–22 ROUND 1. Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) below $75,000 single / $150,000 married filing jointly (phased out completely at $80k/$160k). 2. Possession of a valid Social Security number. 3. Not claimed as someone else’s dependent. 4. U.S. citizen or resident alien living in the United States for more than half of the year. 5. Qualifying dependents (including adult dependents) added an extra $1,400 each. Full details remain on the IRS Economic-Impact-Payments portal. HOW TO CHECK PAST ELIGIBILITY TODAY • Use your IRS Online Account to review “Tax Records → Payments.” Any EIP amounts sent in 2021 will appear there. • Compare Notice 1444-C or Letter 6475 (mailed by the IRS after payment) against Line 30 of your 2021 Form 1040. If Line 30 was less than the total you were due, you may still amend that return within the three-year statute of limitations. • For prior rounds (2020’s $1,200 & $600 checks), review Notice 1444 and claim or amend the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit if needed. NO NEW CHECK? OTHER RELIEF YOU MIGHT QUALIFY FOR • Expanded 2025 Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit can be worth more than many stimulus checks. • State-specific rebates—such as California’s Middle Class Tax Refund or Alaska’s Permanent Fund Dividend—are separate and have their own rules. • Federal benefits like the Saver’s Credit and clean-vehicle credits cut your 2025 tax bill directly. SPOT SCAMS FAST The IRS never contacts taxpayers first through text, social media DM, or email; real outreach starts with a mailed notice and appears in your secure IRS Online Account. Ignore links that ask for your bank login or SSN “to verify a stimulus”; they are phishing attempts. BOTTOM LINE Right now there is no authorized 2025 or 2026 federal stimulus check. Eligibility rules remain the same for historic payments, and the window to claim most of them has closed. Stay updated at IRS.gov, file accurate returns, and treat sensational headlines with caution to avoid missing legitimate credits—or falling for impostors who promise payments that don’t exist.