How to claim missing COVID stimulus check / tax refund when living overseas

Having worked with many expats on tax issues, this is actually a common problem. The IRS systems for international filers and stimulus payments didn't always communicate well together. First, check if you're eligible for the Recovery Rebate Credit for any stimulus payments you didn't receive. You can claim this on your most recent tax return. If you've already filed for the most recent year, you might need to file an amended return (Form 1040-X) to claim the credit. For your regular tax refund, you should try calling the IRS International Taxpayer Service Call Center at 267-941-1000. They specialize in international tax situations and might be more helpful than the general line. Have your tax return information ready when you call. Another option is to file Form 3911 (Taxpayer Statement Regarding Refund) which initiates a trace on your refund. This is especially useful if you believe the check was issued but never received.

After struggling with a similar situation (missing stimulus after filing from Japan), I found https://taxr.ai incredibly helpful. I uploaded my tax documents and transcripts, and their AI system immediately identified why my payment was held up - turns out my foreign address format was causing verification issues in the IRS system. What I liked is they explained exactly which forms I needed to file and provided step-by-step instructions specific to my expat situation. Much better than generic advice I was getting elsewhere. They even helped me understand the interest statements I was receiving and what they actually meant.

Just wanted to update that I tried taxr.ai after seeing it mentioned here. Super helpful for my situation! I uploaded my transcript and last three years of returns, and it immediately spotted why my stimulus was held up - there was a mismatch between my reported income on one form and what the IRS had on file. They gave me a step-by-step plan to resolve it, including which forms to file and what supporting documentation to include. I was skeptical at first, but within 2 weeks of following their instructions, I got confirmation that my payment is being processed. Would have been lost without this tool as the IRS phone support was basically useless for my situation.

Have you tried using Claimyr to get through to an actual human at the IRS? After trying for weeks to sort out my missing stimulus check, I found https://claimyr.com and their service basically holds your place in the phone queue. You can see a demo of how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c I was super frustrated with the constant busy signals and disconnects when calling the IRS directly. With Claimyr, I got a callback when an agent was available instead of waiting on hold for hours. The IRS agent I spoke with was able to trace my missing payments and confirm they were sent to an old address. They started the process to reissue my stimulus payment right away.

I need to eat my words and apologize to the person who recommended Claimyr. After calling the IRS 47 times over two weeks and never getting through, I broke down and tried it. Got a callback in about 80 minutes with an actual IRS agent on the line. She was able to confirm my stimulus check was actually sent to my old address overseas even though I had updated my info. They're now reissuing the payment to my current US address, and she also helped me sort out the interest notices I was getting (turns out they were actually interest the IRS owes ME, not the other way around). Honestly shocked this worked when nothing else did. Saved me so much frustration.

Have you checked your IRS transcript online? You can request it at irs.gov and it shows all activities on your account including stimulus payments, refunds issued, etc. Might give you some clues about what's happening with your account.

Did you use direct deposit for your tax refund when you filed the streamlined returns? I had issues with my stimulus because I used paper check for my refund, but my friend who used direct deposit got her stimulus automatically despite living abroad.