Stimulus Payments — What You Need to Know

Updated Oct. 28, 2008

If you missed the Oct. 15 deadline for filing an income tax return for a economic stimulus payment, don't worry. You can receive a payment in 2009 by filing an income tax return when the filing season opens in January. The IRS will have more information shortly.

Also, if you filed a tax return for an economic stimulus payment in 2008 and have not yet received a payment, check out Where's My Stimulus Payment?

Find the Answer

Still looking for your rebate even though you've already filed a tax return? Or wonder why it's smaller than you were expecting? You may find the answer to your question in our:

Top five questions people are asking
Frequently asked questions about eligibility, payment amounts, payment delivery and more

If You've Already Filed a Tax Return

You may have already filed but still have outstanding issues. Find out more if you:

Haven’t gotten your economic stimulus payment,
Received one for a different amount than you were expecting,
Amended your tax return,
Changed your address, or
Are in the military, have a spouse or children with ITINs instead of valid SSNs and received a reduced or no stimulus payment

If you still have questions, try:

Our online tool that tells you if your payment has been scheduled for delivery the upcoming week, Where's My Stimulus Payment?
The Rebate Hotline at 1-866-234-2942

If You Didn't File for a Stimulus Payment

If you didn't file for an economic stimulus payment in 2008 because you weren't sure you were eligible, you may be able to file for a payment in 2009. Find out more if you:

Receive Social Security retirement or disability benefits
Receive Veterans Affairs pension, disability or survivor's benefits
Receive Tier 1 Railroad Retirement benefits
Are a low-wage worker

Get Basic Information

If you're not sure what the payment is all about, read the basic information.

Find Out if You're Eligible

You are eligible if:

You or your family has at least $3,000 in qualifying income from, or in combination with, Social Security benefits, Veterans Affairs benefits, Railroad Retirement benefits and earned income. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) does not count as qualifying income for the stimulus payment.
You and any family members listed on your tax return have valid Social Security numbers.
You are not a dependent or eligible to be a dependent on someone else’s federal tax return. (The same must be true of any family members claimed on your return.)

Calculate How Much You May Get

Eligible individuals — between $300 and $600
Joint filers — between $600 and $1,200
With eligible children — an additional $300 for each qualifying child

The actual amount depends on the information on your tax return. To find out how much you might be eligible for, use the economic stimulus calculator.

Find Out When You'll Get Your Payment

Whether you've already filed, have yet to file or filed for an extension, find out when you can expect to receive your stimulus payment.

Claim Your Payment

Complete a federal tax return this year, even if you don’t normally do so. For instructions, a sample Form 1040A and a blank Form 1040A, see our 8-page informational package. Or use the longer Form 1040 and its instructions.

Then

File electronically. For free free tax preparation software and electronic filing for people submitting a return solely to receive their stimulus payment, use Free File: Economic Stimulus Payment.

Mail a paper tax return to the IRS based on where you live.

Choose Direct Deposit or Paper Check

You can get your payment electronically as a direct deposit into your checking or savings account by filling in lines 44 b, c and d on Form 1040A or lines 74 b, c and d on Form 1040. Or you can get a paper check by leaving those lines blank.

Get Free Help at Taxpayer Assistance Centers

IRS employees will help prepare Form 1040A returns for low-income workers, retirees, disabled veterans and others. For a list of centers in your state and their hours of operation, Contact My Local Office .

Information For Businesses

Information on the business provisions of the economic stimulus payment.

For More Information

Check out our:

news releases, audio files, fact sheets and legal guidance
Flyers, public service announcements and other marketing products for IRS's partners and others

Avoid Rebate Scams

Identity thieves are using the stimulus payment as bait in their scams. Details can be found in news release IR-2008-11, IRS Warns of New E-Mail and Telephone Scams Using the IRS Name; Advance Payment Scams Starting.