How to check the status of your economic impact payment

The IRS has a tool called Get My Payment that shows you whether an economic impact payment was sent, when it was sent, and how it was delivered. You access it through IRS.gov. The tool tells you the exact date the payment left the IRS, the method (direct deposit, check, or debit card), and the account or address it went to.

If you received a payment by direct deposit, it typically arrived within one to three business days of the date shown in Get My Payment. If it was mailed as a check, the timeline depends on postal service speed — usually five to fourteen business days from the send date, though delays happen. If you received a debit card (issued by MetaBank), it arrived in a separate envelope and could take up to two weeks.

Get My Payment only works if the IRS has processed your tax return or economic impact payment application. If you have not filed taxes recently or the IRS has not yet processed your information, the tool may say "payment status not available." This does not mean you will not receive a payment — it means the IRS has not finished determining your status yet.

Key Takeaways

  • Get My Payment on IRS.gov shows the exact date your payment was sent and which method was used — direct deposit, check, or debit card.
  • Direct deposit payments arrive within one to three business days; mailed checks take five to fourteen business days depending on postal delays.
  • If Get My Payment says your status is not available, the IRS has not yet processed your information, and you should check back in a few days.
  • A missing check or debit card should be reported to the IRS within 120 days of the send date so they can issue a replacement.
  • If you never received a payment and Get My Payment shows one was sent, contact the IRS directly or file a Form 3911 to request a trace.

What to do if Get My Payment says no payment was sent

If Get My Payment shows no payment was issued to you, the IRS did not have enough information to determine you were owed one. This usually happens because your most recent tax return was not on file, you did not file taxes, or the IRS had incomplete address or banking information.

You can file a tax return for the year the payment was issued, even if you normally do not file. The IRS will then review your return and may issue the payment. If you did not file and cannot file now, contact the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 to discuss your situation. They can tell you whether you were owed a payment and what steps to take next.

Some people who did not file taxes were still owed a payment based on Social Security, Veterans Affairs, or Railroad Retirement Board records. If you receive benefits from any of these programs and did not file a tax return, the IRS may have issued a payment using that information. Check Get My Payment again after a few days, or contact the IRS directly.

Tracing a missing check or debit card

If Get My Payment shows your payment was mailed as a check or debit card but you never received it, you can request a trace. File Form 3911 (Taxpayer Statement Regarding Refund) with the IRS. This form asks the IRS to investigate whether the check or card was delivered, intercepted, or lost in the mail.

You must file Form 3911 within 120 days of the date Get My Payment shows the payment was sent. After 120 days, the IRS considers the payment delivered and will not issue a replacement without additional investigation. Mail the form to the IRS address listed in the instructions, or deliver it in person to a local IRS office.

The IRS typically responds to a Form 3911 within four to six weeks. If they confirm the payment was not delivered, they will issue a replacement check or arrange a direct deposit to your bank account. Keep a copy of your form and the IRS receipt for your records.

Recovering a payment that went to the wrong account

If Get My Payment shows your payment was sent by direct deposit but it went to an old bank account you no longer use, contact that bank immediately. Ask them to trace the deposit and return it to the IRS. Provide the bank with the exact date and amount shown in Get My Payment.

Once the bank confirms the deposit was made, they can attempt to reverse it if the account is still open and has sufficient funds. If the account is closed or the funds were withdrawn, the bank cannot reverse the transaction. In that case, contact the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 and explain what happened. The IRS can issue a replacement payment to your current account, though this process takes several weeks.

If you believe someone else received your payment because of identity theft or fraud, file a report with the Federal Trade Commission at IdentityTheft.gov and contact the IRS directly. Provide Get My Payment screenshots showing the payment details and your statement that you did not authorize the deposit to that account.

Understanding delays in Get My Payment

Get My Payment updates once per day, usually overnight. If you just filed a tax return or submitted information to the IRS, it may take several days for that information to appear in the system and for Get My Payment to show a payment status. Check back every few days rather than multiple times per day.

During high-volume periods, the IRS processes returns and payment information more slowly. If Get My Payment says your status is not available and you filed a return weeks ago, contact the IRS to confirm they received it. You can check your return status separately using the IRS Where's My Refund tool, which is different from Get My Payment.

Some payments were issued in multiple batches over several months. If you were owed more than one payment and Get My Payment only shows one, the others may still be processing. The IRS website has a timeline showing when each batch of payments was sent, which can help you understand whether additional payments are still coming.

What happens if you received a payment you were not owed

If Get My Payment shows a payment was sent to you but you believe you were not owed it, do not spend the money. Keep it in a separate account if possible. The IRS may later determine you were ineligible and request repayment.

You can contact the IRS to report the overpayment, though this is not required. If the IRS discovers the overpayment on their own, they will send you a notice explaining the amount and your options for repayment. You can dispute the information if you believe you were actually owed the payment.

If you received a payment and later filed a tax return showing you were not owed it, the IRS will offset the overpayment against any refund you are owed in future years. This happens automatically — you do not need to take action.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take for a direct deposit payment to show up in my bank account?

Direct deposit payments typically arrive within one to three business days of the date shown in Get My Payment. Some banks post deposits overnight; others take the full three days. If more than three business days have passed since the send date, contact your bank to confirm the deposit was received.

Can I call the IRS to ask about my payment instead of using Get My Payment?

Yes. Call 1-800-829-1040 during business hours. Have your Social Security number, filing status, and the amount you expect to receive ready. The IRS can tell you the same information Get My Payment shows, though wait times are often long during high-volume periods.

What if I moved after I filed my tax return but before the payment was sent?

If your payment was mailed as a check to an old address, the postal service may return it to the IRS as undeliverable. Get My Payment will show the payment was sent, but you will not receive it. File Form 3911 and include a note explaining you moved. Provide your current address so the IRS can issue a replacement check or arrange direct deposit.

Do I have to pay taxes on an economic impact payment?

No. Economic impact payments are not taxable income. You do not report them on your tax return, and they do not reduce any refund you are owed. The IRS will not send you a 1099 form for these payments.

What if Get My Payment has been saying "status not available" for months?

Contact the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 to find out why your information has not been processed. This can happen if your tax return was rejected, your address is flagged in the system, or there is a discrepancy in your Social Security number or filing status. The IRS can tell you what is blocking your payment and what you need to do to resolve it.