If you’re one of the many U.S. expats who are owed stimulus money, you can still claim it through Recovery Rebate Credit. As the matter of fact, 2023 is the last year to get all the stimulus checks you might have missed! It will either boost the amount of your tax refund or reduce the taxes you owe to the IRS. Either way – you win! Don’t miss out on the opportunity to get the money you’re entitled to. Keep reading to find out how the credit works and what makes you eligible to qualify.

What is Recovery Rebate Credit?
Recovery Rebate Credit is part of the Covid-19 Economic Relief program. The credit makes it possible for those who didn’t receive Economic Impact Payments (also known as stimulus payments) to claim their missing money. So if you were eligible for stimulus payments but did not receive them (or you received a partial payment), you can claim them through Recovery Rebate Credit on your tax return.

How to claim Recovery Rebate Credit
Getting your Recovery Rebate Credit is not too complicated. You just need to file the right tax return and you’re good to go. For stimulus payments made in 2020 that you haven’t already received, you can claim the Recovery Rebate Credit on your 2020 tax return. And for payments made in 2021, you will need to file a 2021 tax return.

Even If you don’t usually file taxes but are otherwise eligible for stimulus checks, you will still need to file in order to get your money. And keep in mind – 2023 is the last year to do it! If you need any help along the way, don’t hesitate to reach out to us.

Recovery Rebate Credit vs Stimulus Checks
To put it simply – stimulus payments were actually just advanced payments of the tax credit. The U.S. government provided them in response to COVID-19, aiming to get money into the hands of taxpayers as fast as possible, without having to wait for them to file their tax returns.

In total, three rounds of stimulus checks have been paid out. The amounts you were eligible to receive varied depending on your filing status and other factors.

Recovery Rebate Credit 2020
The first and the second stimulus checks were advance payments of the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit claimed on a 2020 federal tax return. They were sent out in 2020 and early 2021. Here’s how much the first 2 rounds of Stimulus Checks are worth:
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