Tax Year 2021: Claim Recovery Rebate Credit without earned income

[blueskyus0]

Can someone who does not have earned income, and does not need to file tax return to claim Recovery Rebate Credit by filing a 2021 tax return with 0 income?

 

[AamilD]

Yes, you can claim Recovery Rebate Credit without earned income. 

In TurboTax Online, to claim the Recovery Rebate credit please do the following:

1. Sign into your account and continue from where you left off.
2. Click on Federal in the left-hand column, then on Federal Review on the top of the screen.
3. On the next page titled Let's double-check the amount you received; you will be able to enter the partial amount you received.

Please refer to the image below

[Cynthiad66]

To claim the Recovery Rebate Credit, you must file a 2021 tax return, even if you had no taxable income and aren't required to file a return. First, find the exact amount you received for the third stimulus payment. When you have it, go to TurboTax.com and select Start for free under File your own taxes.

Non-Filer, Zero Income: If you have zero or no income and are not normally required to file a tax return, you can just file a 2021 Tax Return to claim the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit and be done.

Third stimulus payments were made beginning in March 2021. If you received the full amount of the third stimulus payment in 2021 (Economic Impact Payment), you won’t get any additional Recovery Rebate Credit on your 2021 return since you’ve already received the full amount of the credit as a stimulus payment.

If you didn't receive the full amount of your third stimulus payment, we'll help you claim the Recovery Rebate Credit when you file your 2021 taxes or your 2021 amended return and make sure you get the money you qualify for by double-checking the amount you received.

First, find the exact amount you received for the third stimulus payment.

• On your IRS Letter 6475, or
• By visiting the IRS View Your Account Information page and creating or accessing your account, or
• In your bank statements. You might be able to search your online statements for deposits made by the IRS or US Treasury

When you have it ready, enter all of your federal return information as you would normally.

1. During the Federal Review, we’ll check if you meet eligibility requirements for the stimulus payment.
2. If you meet the requirements, you'll see the Did you get a third stimulus? screen.
3. Answer a few questions about any payments you've already received and then we'll let you know if the Recovery Rebate Credit applies.
   • If you need to make any changes to your stimulus credit responses, search for stimulus and select the jump-to link to return to the section. Enter your updated info and Continue.

Use this link for more information:  Recovery Rebate Credit 2021 

[blueskyus0]

Thanks, I was able to claim the credit with free version of Turbo Tax, following your instructions.

Can a person without earned income in the past 3 years still claim Stimulus 1 and 2, which never claimed before?

[ErnieS0]

The only way to claim the first and second stimulus payments @blueskyus0 is to file an original or amended 2020 income tax return.

The first two payments were part of 2020 taxes. They will not be added to a 2021 tax return. That's for the third payment only.

If you filed a 2020 return and never claimed the first and second payments, the IRS did not add them to your refund.

Follow this link to amend 2020: How do I amend my 2020 return?

If you never filed 2020, you can buy the 2020 program. You'll have to install this on a computer. Online is no longer available for 2020. Go to File your 2020 taxes.

[VolvoGirl]

Or just fill out a 2020 tax return by hand.  Should be easy without any income.  Do you get Social Security?

Here is the IRS 2020 Form 1040
https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-prior/f1040--2020.pdf

or if you want bigger type use 1040SR for Seniors,
https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-prior/f1040s--2020.pdf

And 2020 Instructions
https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-prior/i1040gi--2020.pdf