Do I need to file my 2019 taxes to get a stimulus check?
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If you filed a tax return in 2018 or receive Social Security income, Railroad Retirement benefits, Supplemental Security Income, VA benefits, or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), you don’t have to file your 2019 taxes to get a stimulus check (also known as an economic impact payment or EIP).
However, there are reasons you might want to: (1) If you 2018 adjusted gross income (AGI) was above the EIP qualifying threshold and your 2019 AGI is now below the threshold, or (2) you had a child in 2019, which increases your payment.
If you’re missing payments or portions of your payments as of January 15, 2021, check to see if the IRS has sent your payment by using the Get My Payment tool, requesting an account transcript, or looking back through your mail for Notices 1444 and 1444-B, which are payment confirmations mailed by the IRS roughly 15 days after it issues an economic impact payment. If your payment has been issued, try to determine what happened to the money before you file your taxes.
More info:
When to file taxes if you haven’t received stimulus money
I think my stimulus payment is lost, stolen or ruined – What do I do?
