KathrynG3
Expert Alumni

Deductions & credits

Thank you for these details. Please confirm your eligible Recovery Rebate Credit amount by checking page 58 for the Recovery Rebate Credit Worksheet of the 2020 Form 1040 Instructions.

 

For an overview of the calculations, see the Eligibility rules for the Recovery Rebate Credit at How do I claim the Recovery Rebate Credit?

To claim the Recovery Rebate Credit, you

  • Must be owed an additional amount based on the information in this year’s 2020 Tax Filing. The maximum amounts are:
    • First payment: $1,200 ($2,400 if married filing jointly for 2020) plus $500 for each qualifying child you had in 2020; and
    • Second payment: $600 ($1,200 if married filing jointly for 2020) plus $600 for each qualifying child you had in 2020
  • Must be a U.S. citizen or U.S. resident alien,
  • Have a valid Social Security number, and
  • You can’t have been claimed as a dependent on someone else’s 2020 tax return

In general, taxpayers without an eligible Social Security number are not eligible for the credit. However, married taxpayers filing jointly where one spouse has a Social Security number and one spouse does not, are eligible.

There are also AGI limits to receive the full amount of the credit. Your adjusted gross income (AGI) must be below,

  • $75,000 for individuals
  • $112,500 for heads of household
  • $150,000 for married, joint filers

For filers with income above those amounts, the credit amount is reduced by $5 for each $100 above the $75,000/$112,500/$150,000 thresholds. This means:

  • An individual without children will not receive any credit if their AGI exceeds $87,000
  • A couple without children will not receive any credit if their AGI exceeds $174,000
  • A family of four will not receive any credit if their AGI exceeds $198,000