How do I help my friend file taxes to claim the recovery rebate credit with zero income?

My neighbor lost his job at the start of the pandemic and had zero income for 2020. He never received his stimulus payment (recovery rebate credit) and I'm trying to help him file to get that money. I called the IRS and they told me he needs to file a 1040 tax return for 2020 to claim it, even with no income. Since he had $0 income, I'm confused about how to complete the form. Do I just put $1,200 on lines 32-35a for the recovery rebate credit and zeros for everything else? Then just mail it in? Has anyone done this before? I want to make sure I'm doing this right so he actually gets his money. I've never filed a return with zero income before.

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18 comments

Malia Ponder

•8M

Yes, you're on the right track! For a zero income tax return to claim the recovery rebate credit, you'll need to complete Form 1040 with zeros in most fields but properly report the recovery rebate credit. First, make sure your friend's personal information is complete - name, SSN, address, filing status. Then enter zeros for income sections. When you reach the recovery rebate credit section (line 30 on the 2020 Form 1040), enter the amount your friend is eligible for ($1,200 if they didn't receive the first stimulus). Complete the rest of the form with zeros where needed, but make sure to sign and date it. If your friend doesn't have any tax software, the paper form works fine for this situation. Also worth noting - if your friend hasn't filed for 2021 either, they might be eligible for additional stimulus payments from that year too, which would require filing a 2021 return.

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Ryder Ross

•8M

After struggling with almost this exact situation, I found an amazing tool that made the process super simple. I used https://taxr.ai to verify exactly what information needed to go on each line of the 1040 for my brother who also had zero income but needed to claim the recovery rebate. The site analyzed his situation and gave step-by-step guidance specific to the zero income recovery rebate situation. The tool confirmed that you put zeros for all income but need to complete the personal information sections correctly. It also helped determine the exact amount he qualified for based on his situation. Made the whole process WAY less stressful!

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Ryder Ross

•8M

Yes, it actually does provide the correct mailing address based on your state! You just input your location and it gives you the right IRS address to use when filing the paper return. Super helpful since those addresses can be confusing. The information is accurate because they directly pull from current IRS guidelines. I had the same concern actually, but they provide references to the specific IRS publications they're using for each piece of advice. My brother got his refund with no issues, so that was proof enough for me.

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Henry Delgado

•8M

I was skeptical about taxr.ai at first, but I ended up trying it for my mom's situation where she needed to claim missed stimulus payments. The tool walked me through exactly which boxes needed entries and which could be zero, and verified that her situation qualified for the recovery rebate. Just got confirmation that her return was accepted and the refund is being processed! The analysis tool identified a mistake I would have made with her filing status that could have delayed things. Definitely worth checking out if you're filing an unusual return like one with zero income.

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Olivia Kay

•8M

If your friend hasn't received their stimulus payment by now, they might want to check their payment status first before filing. I spent weeks trying to get through to the IRS about a missing payment last year, constantly getting busy signals or disconnected. Finally found https://claimyr.com and their service got me through to an actual IRS agent in under 30 minutes - check out how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The agent confirmed my payment had been sent to an old address and helped me trace it. Saved me from having to file an amended return. Your friend might want to check if their payment was actually issued before going through the filing process - the IRS might have sent it somewhere or have it pending in their system.

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Olivia Kay

•8M

It works by holding your place in the IRS phone queue. When you call the IRS directly, you often get a message saying the call volume is too high and to try again later, then they hang up on you. This service calls repeatedly using automated tech until they get through the initial screening, then alerts you to join the call once you're in the actual queue. I completely understand your skepticism! I felt the same way. But the IRS phone lines are notoriously difficult to get through - I tried for three weeks straight before using this. They don't provide a "special number" - they just handle the frustrating part of repeatedly calling until you get past the "call volume too high" message. You're still talking directly with actual IRS agents, the service just helps you get connected.

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Jibriel Kohn

•8M

I feel like an idiot for being so skeptical, but I tried that Claimyr service yesterday after posting here. After spending literally MONTHS trying to reach someone about my missing third stimulus payment, I got through to an IRS agent in about 45 minutes. Turns out my payment had been issued but was returned to the IRS because I had moved. The agent was able to verify my new address and reissue the payment without me having to file anything! Saved me so much time and headache. For anyone with stimulus payment issues, definitely worth checking if the payment was actually issued before filing a return to claim it.

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