How to Check if I Received my Economic Impact Payment (EIP 2) from 2020/21

You can definitely check if you received your EIP 2 payment through your IRS online account. Once you're logged in, look for the "Tax Records" tab and then select "Get Transcript." Choose the "Record of Account Transcript" for tax year 2020. The EIP 2 payment should show up as "Refund issued" or something similar with a date from December 2020 or early 2021. Alternatively, you can request an "Account Transcript" which will show all transactions with the IRS including any EIP payments that were issued to you. If you still can't find it, you can call the IRS Economic Impact Payment hotline at 800-919-9835, but be prepared for long wait times. As for applying the recovery rebate to past due amounts - yes, if you were eligible for EIP 2 but never received it, claiming the Recovery Rebate Credit on an amended return could reduce your past due amount and potentially some interest, though the exact impact depends on your specific situation.

After struggling with the same EIP tracking issues, I found an amazing tool that helped me figure out exactly which stimulus payments I received. I used https://taxr.ai which analyzed my tax documents and bank statements to determine which Economic Impact Payments I had received and which ones I could still claim. Their system showed me exactly where to look in my transcripts and even pointed out that I had actually received my EIP 2 payment as part of a tax refund rather than as a separate deposit, which is why I couldn't find it in my records! The analysis saved me from incorrectly amending my return which would have created problems.

I was in the EXACT same situation with my EIP 2 payment last year! I was so confused about whether I'd received it. After seeing this thread, I decided to try https://taxr.ai to help sort through my mess of tax documents. It was honestly such a relief - their analysis confirmed I never received the second payment and showed me exactly how to properly claim it on my amended return. The documentation they provided was perfect for supporting my amendment. They even pointed out that I had unknowingly received a partial EIP 3 payment that I hadn't recorded properly! Just submitted my amendment and already got confirmation it was accepted. Wish I'd known about this tool months ago before all the stress!

If you're still having trouble figuring out your Economic Impact Payment situation, there's another approach that worked for me. After weeks of trying to get through to the IRS with no luck, I used a service called Claimyr (https://claimyr.com) that got me connected to an actual IRS representative in about 20 minutes. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The IRS agent was able to look up exactly which EIP payments were issued to me, when they were sent, and how they were delivered (direct deposit vs. check). In my case, I discovered my EIP 2 had been mailed as a check that I never received, and they were able to start the process to get it reissued. Way better than guessing or trying to interpret transcripts on my own.

I'm back to eat my words about Claimyr! After being extremely skeptical, I decided to try it as a last resort because I was desperate to resolve my EIP issue before filing this year's taxes. It actually worked exactly as described! Got a call back in about 35 minutes connecting me to an IRS representative who was able to check my account. Turns out my EIP 2 check was issued but returned to the IRS as undeliverable because I had moved. The agent was able to confirm I was still eligible and update my address in the system. They're reissuing the payment now. Without speaking to an actual person, I would have either given up or incorrectly claimed it on an amended return. Sometimes you have to admit when you're wrong - this service saved me a ton of headache!

Don't forget that your EIP 2 might have come on a prepaid debit card instead of a paper check or direct deposit! Many people threw these cards away thinking they were junk mail or credit card offers. They came in plain envelopes from "Money Network Cardholder Services" not from the IRS or Treasury Department. If you still have old mail from around January 2021, it might be worth checking if you received one of these cards. You can also check status at EIPcard.com if you think you might have gotten one but lost or discarded it.

Has anyone checked the "Get My Payment" tool on the IRS website for tracking the EIP 2? I thought that was supposed to show the status for all three stimulus payments.

I went through this exact same confusion last year! What really helped me was requesting both the "Record of Account" and "Account Transcript" for 2020 from the IRS website. The Account Transcript is particularly useful because it shows ALL transactions chronologically. For EIP 2, you're looking for: - Transaction code 846 (refund issued) - Date between December 2020 - January 2021 - Amount of $600 (or $1,200 if married filing jointly, plus $600 per qualifying dependent) One thing that caught me off guard - my EIP 2 was actually offset against a prior year balance I owed, so it didn't show up as a direct deposit in my bank account. This would still appear on your transcript but with additional codes showing the offset. If you don't see any EIP 2 transaction on your transcript, you're likely eligible to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit on an amended 2020 return (Form 1040X). And yes, if you do receive a refund from the amendment, the IRS will automatically apply it to any outstanding balances you owe, which could reduce your interest charges. Just make sure you're 100% certain before amending - the IRS will catch it if you claim a payment you already received!

I just went through this exact same process a few months ago! One additional tip that really helped me - if you filed your taxes electronically and used tax software, check your software account from 2020. Many programs like TurboTax, H&R Block, etc. keep records of what you reported on your return, including whether you claimed the Recovery Rebate Credit for EIP 2. If you see that you claimed the credit on your 2020 return, that means you didn't receive the payment. If you didn't claim it, there's a good chance you did receive it (though as others mentioned, it could have been offset or sent as a card you might have missed). Also, don't forget to check if you might have received a partial payment. Some people got reduced amounts based on their 2019 vs 2020 income differences, which can make tracking even more confusing. The transcript will show the exact amount that was issued to you. One last thing - if you do end up needing to amend your return, make sure to include Form 8915-E if you took any coronavirus-related distributions from retirement accounts in 2020. I made that mistake initially and had to file a second amendment!

I had a similar situation last year and found that the most reliable method was actually to request Form 1040-X instructions from the IRS website, which includes a specific worksheet for tracking Economic Impact Payments. The worksheet walks you through exactly what to look for on your transcript and helps you calculate if you're missing any payments. One thing that helped me was also checking my 2020 tax return (Form 1040, line 30) to see if I had already claimed the Recovery Rebate Credit for EIP 2. If that line shows $600 (or more with dependents), it means I told the IRS I never received the payment when I filed. If it's blank or shows $0, I likely did receive it. Also, keep in mind that if your 2020 income was significantly higher than your 2019 income, you might not have been eligible for the full EIP 2 amount even if you got the first and third payments. The income thresholds were the same, but they used your most recently processed return at the time each payment was issued. The IRS will definitely apply any refund from an amended return to outstanding balances first, which could help with your interest situation. Just make absolutely sure you didn't receive it before amending - the penalties for incorrectly claiming a payment you already got are steep!