Why would I be eligible for a $1400 credit for a third stimulus check that I did not receive?

[xmasbaby0]

If your income was within the eligible amount and you were not someone else's dependent for 2021, then you can get the 3rd EIP ("stimulus") as a recovery rebate credit on your 2021 tax return.   It will show up on line 30 of your Form 1040.

However, if you already received the $1400, you had to answer the questions in Federal Review correctly, and you cannot get the $1400 twice.  If you received it last year and had $1400 on line 30, the IRS took it off.

LOTS of people have made mistakes this year with the recovery rebate credit by "forgetting" that they received the $1400 per person stimulus checks last year.  They answered no to the questions for the  recovery recovery rebate credit and put the $1400 per person on line 30 of their returns.  But you cannot get it twice, so the IRS removes it when it is there by mistake.

Try checking your online account with the IRS

https://www.irs.gov/payments/your-online-account

Does the IRS show that you received a $1400 stimulus or EIP check in 2021?   Did you receive it?   When you were asked on your tax return did you say no?   Was there $1400 on line 30 of your tax return?

If the IRS says you got $1400 last year but you did not receive it you can have it traced.

LOST THIRD STIMULUS CHECK

https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/questions-and-answers-about-the-third-round-economic-impact-payment-top...

If you need to trace a payment that the IRS says has been issued to you, mail or fax a completed IRS Form 3911, Taxpayer Statement Regarding Refund.

[Hal_Al]

Q. Why would I be eligible for a $1400 credit for a third stimulus check that I did not receive?

A.  It depends on the details of your situation.  But, it's very common. 

The most common situation is this: you did not file a 2020 tax return or you filed one indicating that someone else could claim you as a dependent.  So, you did not get the $1400 stimulus payment.  But, for 2021, you did file a tax return and you are no longer someone's dependent. You get to claim the $1400 Recovery rebate credit.

2nd most common situation: you are a divorced or separated parent. For 2020, the other parent claimed the child as a dependent.  You did not get the $1400 stimulus for that child. 2021 is your year to claim the child as a dependent; so you get to claim  the $1400 Recovery rebate credit, for that child on your 2021return.