Between 2020 and 2021, the United States government issued three rounds of Economic Impact Payments, often called stimulus checks, to help households cope with the economic effects of the COVID‑19 pandemic.
These payments were authorized by three major laws passed by Congress and delivered through the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
Each payment round had different dollar values and qualification rules.
First Stimulus Payment (2020): Up to $1,200 Per Adult
The first round of Economic Impact Payments came from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, signed into law in March 2020. Most eligible U.S. taxpayers received this payment automatically beginning in mid‑April 2020.
Calculate Your 2026 COLA Increase →Each payment was based on adjusted gross income (AGI) from the taxpayer’s 2018 or 2019 tax return or other IRS records.
Under this first round:
- Eligible individuals could receive up to $1,200.
- Married couples filing jointly could receive up to $2,400.
- Parents could receive an additional $500 per qualifying child under age 17.
These payments phased out for higher incomes, so people with AGI above set thresholds received smaller amounts or became ineligible.
Second Stimulus Payment (2021): Up to $600 Per Adult
The second round was authorized by the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 and was generally issued in early 2021. It provided a smaller amount than the first round but reached millions of people automatically based on IRS records.
The structure of this round was:
- Eligible individuals could receive up to $600.
- Married couples filing jointly could receive up to $1,200.
- Parents could receive $600 per qualifying child under age 17.
Like the first payment, eligibility and phase‑outs depended on income and filing status.
Third Stimulus Payment (2021): Up to $1,400 Per Person
The third round was part of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, enacted in March 2021. This round provided the highest per‑person maximum of all three. The IRS began sending these payments in March 2021 and continued through the rest of the year.
For this third Economic Impact Payment:
- Eligible individuals were entitled to up to $1,400.
- Married couples filing jointly could receive up to $2,800.
- In this round, all qualifying dependents counted, regardless of age.
- Payments included $1,400 for each eligible dependent claimed on a tax return.
These checks acted as advance payments of the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit on the taxpayer’s 2021 federal tax return.
How the Payments Were Issued
All three stimulus checks were advanced as refundable tax credits tied to the taxpayer’s federal returns. The IRS used the most recent tax return it had on file to calculate and issue each payment:
- First and second payments were treated as advances of the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit for the 2020 tax year.
- The third payment was an advance of the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit claimed on the 2021 tax return.
If a person did not receive the full amount for any round and was eligible, they could claim the Recovery Rebate Credit on the corresponding tax year’s return.
Summary of Stimulus Payment Amounts
Here is a clear view of how much each round provided at full eligibility:
- First Round: $1,200 per eligible adult ($2,400 for joint filers) plus $500 per qualifying child.
- Second Round: $600 per eligible adult ($1,200 for joint filers) plus $600 per qualifying child.
- Third Round: $1,400 per eligible person (including dependents), up to $2,800 for joint filers plus $1,400 per dependent.
Each stimulus payment aimed to provide financial relief during different stages of the pandemic, adjusted in size and structure based on economic conditions and legislative priorities.
How Income Affected Payment Amounts
For all three rounds, the payment began to phase out as income increased. Income eligibility thresholds were based on adjusted gross income (AGI) as reported on the most recently filed tax return available to the IRS at the time of payment.
Higher income levels resulted in reduced or zero payment amounts.
Claiming Missed Stimulus Payments (Recovery Rebate Credit)
Taxpayers who did not receive their full stimulus amount could claim the corresponding Recovery Rebate Credit on the applicable tax return:
- For missed first or second payments, the credit was claimed on the 2020 tax return.
- For the third payment, the credit was claimed on the 2021 tax return.
There were deadlines tied to these tax returns after which unclaimed rebates could no longer be recovered.
Related IRS Resources
To find out your specific stimulus payment amounts, you can access your payment history online through the IRS account portal.
Your past Notice 1444 letters from the IRS may also show the exact amounts you received for each round.
