Stimulus Check 2023: What Was Paid and What You Can Still Claim

Why there was no federal payment in 2023

Federal stimulus checks only exist when Congress passes a law to fund them. The pandemic laws of 2020 and 2021 did that three times. By 2023, the public health emergency was winding down, unemployment was low, and lawmakers had turned to other priorities. No bill creating a fourth payment passed, so the IRS had nothing to send.

That did not stop the rumors. Headlines about "new stimulus checks" in 2023 usually referred to state rebates, to the Recovery Rebate Credit for people who missed an earlier payment, or to ordinary tax refunds. Some were simply clickbait. The IRS Economic Impact Payments page says it has issued all first, second, and third payments, and its Get My Payment tool has been retired.

The three pandemic payments, briefly

Knowing what came before helps explain the 2023 confusion. The federal government sent three rounds of Economic Impact Payments:

• Spring 2020: up to $1,200 per adult plus $500 per child under 17.
• December 2020 to January 2021: up to $600 per adult and $600 per child.
• Spring 2021: up to $1,400 per person, including dependents of any age.

People who did not get the full amount could claim the difference as a Recovery Rebate Credit on their 2020 or 2021 tax return. That was the main "stimulus" money still flowing in 2023: late filers claiming credits they were owed. According to the IRS, the window to claim the 2020 credit has closed, and the 2021 credit had to be claimed on a 2021 return filed by April 15, 2025. In December 2024, the IRS sent automatic payments to about 1 million people who had filed for 2021 but left the credit off their return.

State payments that went out in 2023

With nothing coming from Washington, several states used budget surpluses to send their own one-time payments. These are the examples we could confirm from state government sources. Each one is now closed.

New Mexico

New Mexico's governor announced in April 2023 that the Taxation and Revenue Department would begin sending rebates in mid-June: $500 for single filers and $1,000 for married couples filing jointly, heads of household, and surviving spouses. Residents who filed a 2021 New Mexico return and were not claimed as someone's dependent got the rebate automatically, with no application. People who used direct deposit for their 2021 refund were paid that way first; everyone else got a check.

Virginia

In late October 2023, Virginia began sending one-time rebates of up to $200 for individual filers and up to $400 for joint filers, as the City of Alexandria shared from the state at the time. To qualify, you needed a 2022 Virginia tax liability and a 2022 return filed by November 1, 2023. Virginia has since paid a similar rebate in 2025; its tax department rebate page now describes that later round.

California

California's Middle Class Tax Refund was a one-time payment that the Franchise Tax Board says was issued between October 2022 and January 2023. Many people received it as a prepaid debit card, so some of it landed in early 2023.

Alaska

Alaska's Permanent Fund Dividend is not a stimulus check, but it is often searched as one. The state's PFD payment history lists the 2023 dividend at $1,312 per eligible resident. Alaskans apply each year for that year's dividend.

Stimulus check 2023 payments at a glance

This table sums up the payments people most often mean when they search for a 2023 check.

Did I miss a 2023 payment?

Possibly, but the fix is usually not to chase the payment itself. Here is how to think about it.

• You qualified but never got a state check. Contact the state tax department that issued it. Some states reissue lost or expired checks for a time; after that, uncashed money is often handed to the state's unclaimed property office. Our guide to finding unclaimed money from the government shows how to search for free.
• You moved and a check went to an old address. Ask the state agency to update your address, then check unclaimed property in both states.
• You think you missed a federal payment. Log in to your IRS online account, where the Tax Records page shows the Economic Impact Payment amounts sent to you. The claim deadlines have passed, but the record can settle the question.

The 2023 tax return deadline that is still open

This is the part of the "2023 stimulus" story that can still put money in your pocket. Many people with low income do not file a return because they think they do not have to. But if tax was withheld from your paychecks in 2023, or if you qualified for refundable credits, the IRS may owe you a refund.

The IRS generally gives you three years to claim a refund. For an unfiled 2023 return, which was due April 15, 2024, that window generally runs to April 15, 2027. After that, the money stays with the Treasury. There is no penalty for filing late when you are owed a refund.

To file a past-year return, you need the 2023 version of the forms, your W-2s or 1099s for 2023, and Social Security numbers for everyone on the return. If you lost your income papers, the IRS online account offers wage and income transcripts. Free volunteer programs can help with prior-year returns at many sites; call ahead to ask.

Credits that work like a yearly stimulus

For many families, the closest thing to a stimulus check today is a refundable tax credit. Unlike a one-time payment, these come back every year you qualify and file.

Earned Income Tax Credit

The EITC helps workers with low to moderate income. For tax year 2025, the IRS tables put the maximum at $8,046 for a family with three or more qualifying children, and $649 for a worker with none. You can also claim it on a late 2023 return for that year's amounts.

Child Tax Credit

The current Child Tax Credit is up to $2,200 per qualifying child, with up to $1,700 refundable, according to the IRS. The larger monthly advance payments some families remember were a one-year program for 2021 only. Our child tax credits guide explains who qualifies.

State credits

Many states have their own earned income or child credits that piggyback on the federal return. Your state tax department's website lists them, and free tax software or a VITA volunteer will apply them for you.

Help that exists today

If you were hoping a stimulus check would cover bills, these programs are real and open now. All are free to apply for.

• Free tax help: the IRS VITA and TCE programs prepare returns at no cost. The IRS says many sites serve people who generally make about $70,244 or less.
• Food: SNAP helps with groceries every month. Our SNAP calculator gives a rough estimate before you apply with your state.
• Utilities: LIHEAP helps with heating and cooling bills; income limits are set by each state.
• Everything else: the USA.gov benefit finder asks a few questions and lists federal programs to check.

Fake stimulus messages to ignore

Old payment programs are a favorite cover for scammers, because people half-remember them. Messages like "Your 2023 stimulus check is pending, confirm your details" are fake. The IRS does not text or email you to start a payment, and it does not charge a fee to release money. The IRS scam alert page warns about too-good-to-be-true paydays, pressure to act fast, and odd links.

If you get one, do not click. Report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. If you are curious about newer rumors, our guide to the DOGE stimulus check explains why that payment was never real either.

Checking what you are owed, step by step

1. Accept that no federal 2023 check exists, and that no new federal checks are scheduled.
2. Open your IRS online account to confirm past payments and see if any return is missing.
3. File a 2023 return by April 15, 2027 if you skipped it and might be owed a refund or EITC.
4. Contact your state tax department if you qualified for a state rebate and never got it.
5. Search unclaimed property in every state you have lived in.
6. File each year going forward, even with low income, so you never miss a credit.

Related guides

• DOGE stimulus check
• IRS tax refunds
• Stimulus relief
• Unclaimed money

Frequently asked questions

This guide is general information, not tax advice. National Relief Program is an independent website and is not affiliated with the IRS or any state or federal agency. Filing a return and claiming official credits is free.