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Sorry--it is too late to get the 2020 and 2021 federal stimulus checks.
I am sorry, but since we are currently in April 2026, the window to claim the 2020 and 2021 stimulus checks has officially closed. The IRS operates under a three-year statute of limitations for tax refunds, meaning the final deadline to claim the 2020 credit was May 2024, and the 2021 credit expired in April 2025. Because these dates have passed, you generally cannot file an original or amended return to collect that money now.
The only exception would be if the IRS already sent the payment years ago and it was lost or stolen, in which case you could request a "payment trace," but for new claims, the funds are unfortunately no longer available. If that applies, contact the IRS at 800-829-1040.
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