I Received The Child Tax Credit For A Child On My 2020 Taxes But They No Longer Live With Me What Should I Do
If you will not be eligible to claim the Child Tax Credit on your 2021 return , then you should go to the IRS website to opt out of receiving monthly payments using the Child Tax Credit Update Portal. Receiving monthly payments now could mean that you have to return those payments when you file your tax return next year. If things change again and you are entitled to the Child Tax Credit for 2021, you can claim the full amount on your tax return when you file next year.
If you have any questions about your unique circumstances, you should visit irs.gov/childtaxcredit2021.
First Round Of Cares Act Stimulus Checks: What Expats Should Know
Q. What did the CARES Act 2020 Coronavirus stimulus check mean for U.S. expats?
A. The CARES Act stimulus check expats got in 2020 was technically a 2020 tax credit in advance.
It was part of the CARES Act Coronavirus stimulus package, which was designed to help get the economy back on its feet while we navigate the COVID-19 pandemic. In it are a variety of benefits for both individuals and corporations to ease the financial burden of the shutdowns and shelter-in-place orders. For the average American, the main benefits are cash payments and a variety of other debt relief options. The amount each taxpayer got depends on a variety of factors.
Q. Did I qualify for a CARES Act stimulus check if I live overseas?
A. Yes, expats qualified for the CARES Act stimulus checks. You qualified if you fell within the income threshold, had a social security number, and filed taxes even if you lived overseas. If you didnt get it, you can still apply for it retroactively as a tax credit on your 2020 tax return.
Q. What is the Recovery Rebate Credit?
A. If you didnt get the full amount you were owed, you may be able to apply for the Recovery Rebate Credit. Any eligible individual who did not receive the full amount of the recovery rebate as an advance payment, also known as an Economic Impact Payment, can claim the Recovery Rebate Credit on a 2020 Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR.
Q. How much was the CARES Act stimulus check for?
Q. Did I have to pay back the amount I got?
A. No
How Is The Third Stimulus Check Calculated
The stimulus plan mandates the treasury to rely on 2019 and 2020 tax returns to calculate how much you could get for the third round of stimulus checks.
Congress approved limits based on adjusted gross income ranges. This means that taxpayers making less than the minimum threshold could get the full stimulus check, while those earning above it get reduced payments until they are fully phased out at higher incomes.
You can find your AGI on IRS form 1040. This is calculated by subtracting deductions like student loan interest, health savings account payments, and contributions to a traditional IRA from your gross income.
By contrast, your gross income is the total amount of money that you made during the tax year, including wages, dividends, capital gains, rental property income and other types of revenue.
Your 2019 taxes had to be filed by July 15, 2020. And your 2020 taxes are due by the extended deadline of May 17. You can read more about when to file your tax returns for the third stimulus check, and other IRS requirements in two tax sections below.
Read Also: Ssdi Stimulus Checks Deposit Date
What To Do If You Have Not Received Any Of The 3 Stimulus Checks While Eligible For Payments
Americans who have not received stimulus payments under the three laws passed in Congress are most likely low-income non-filers and will have to do additional paperwork with the IRS.
If you are one of the Americans who have not yet received any of the three stimulus checks distributed by the federal government through the Internal Revenue Service while you were eligible, you are most likely among the low-income people for whom the agency does not have information to process the payment.
Many of the cases of beneficiaries who have not yet received coronavirus stimulus checks are low-income individuals who are not required to file IRS tax returns. This means that the agency does not have the information on file to process the so-called Economic Impact Payments for this population.
The agency has recommended in these instances that individuals file a tax return as soon as possible even if they are not required to do so and claim the amount or amounts owed for stimulus checks through a Refund Recovery Credit.
In cases where the IRS provided an underpayment or without the extra dependent credits, taxpayers can also claim this money through the referred credit on the return this year.
In fact, the IRS reported this week that it is processing payments applicable to tax returns of individuals who filed their tax information this season for the first time because of the above reason.
How Do I Get My Third Stimulus Check

You dont need to do anything if:
- You have filed a tax return for tax year 2019 or 2020.
- You are a Social Security recipient, including Social Security Disability Insurance , railroad retiree. Or you are a Supplemental Security Insurance and Veterans Affairs beneficiary.
- You successfully signed up for the first stimulus check online using the IRS Non-Filers tool or submitted a simplified tax return that has been processed by the IRS.
The IRS will automatically send your payment. You can check on the status of your third stimulus check by visiting the IRS Get My Payment tool, available in English and Spanish.
If you are missing your third stimulus check, file your 2020 tax return or use GetCTC.org if you dont have a filing requirement. By submitting your information to the IRS, you will be signed up and automatically sent the third stimulus check.
Don’t Miss: Irs Stimulus Check Sign Up
How Will The Child Tax Credit Give Me More Help This Year
The American Rescue Plan, signed into law on March 11, 2021, expanded the Child Tax Credit for 2021 to get more help to more families.
- It has gone from $2,000 per child in 2020 to $3,600 for each child under age 6.
- For each child ages 6 to 16, its increased from $2,000 to $3,000.
- It also now makes 17-year-olds eligible for the $3,000 credit.
- Previously, low-income families did not get the same amount or any of the Child Tax Credit. Under the American Rescue Plan, all families in need will get the full amount.
- To get money to families sooner, the IRS began sending monthly payments this year, starting in July.
- It is broken up into monthly payments, which means payments of up to $300 per child under age 6 and $250 per child ages 6 to 17.
- Youll get the remainder of the credit when you file your taxes next year.
When Will The Third Stimulus Check Be Issued
The government started sending the third stimulus checks on March 12, 2021. The IRS continues to send third stimulus checks as people submit their information to the IRS either by filing a 2020 tax return or using GetCTC.org. The deadline to use GetCTC.org is November 15, 2021.
If you have your banking information on file, the IRS sent your payment via direct deposit. Otherwise, you will receive your payment as a check or debit card via mail. Mailed checks and debit cards may take longer to deliver.
If you dont fall into any of these categories, youll have to wait to receive your third stimulus check. You will need to file a 2020 federal tax return to get the third stimulus check or use GetCTC.org if you dont have a filing requirement.
You can also get the first and second stimulus check as the Recovery Rebate Credit on your tax return or GetCTC.org if you are eligible.
Recommended Reading: Third Stimulus Check File Taxes
When Will I Start Receiving My Monthly Payments
People who receive payments by direct deposit got their first payment on July 15, 2021. After that, payments continue to go out on the 15th of every month. If you havent provided the IRS with your bank account information on a recent tax return, a check will be sent out to you around the same time to the address the IRS has for you.
Who Is Eligible For The Third Stimulus Check
While eligibility is similar to the first and second stimulus checks, there are differences. There are four primary requirements:
1. Income: The income requirements to receive the full payment are the same as the first and second stimulus checks. There is no minimum income needed to qualify for the payment. Households with adjusted gross income up to $75,000 for individuals will receive the full payment. The third stimulus payment starts to phaseout for people with higher earnings. The third stimulus checks maximum income limit is lower than the first and second stimulus check. Single filers who earned more than $80,000 in 2020 are ineligible for the third stimulus check.
View the chart below to compare income requirements for the first, second, and third stimulus checks.
Income to Receive Full Stimulus Payment | First Stimulus Check Maximum Income Limit | Second Stimulus Check Maximum Income Limit | Third Stimulus Check Maximum Income Limit |
Single Filer | |||
$120,000 |
2. Social Security Number: This requirement is different from the first and second stimulus check.
Any family member that has a Social Security number or dependent can qualify for the third stimulus check. For example, in a household where both parents have ITINs, and their children have SSNs, the children qualify for stimulus checks, even though the parents dont.
See the chart below for further explanation of how this works.
Also Check: Where’s My Stimulus Check Nj
How Do I Find My Stimulus Money What To Do About A Missing $1400 Check
Your third stimulus payment could be delayed for a variety of reasons. We’ll help you track down your IRS payment.
Alison DeNisco Rayome
Managing Editor
Alison DeNisco Rayome is a managing editor at CNET, now covering home topics after writing about services and software. Alison was previously an editor at TechRepublic.
Clifford Colby
Managing Editor
Clifford is a managing editor at CNET. He spent a handful of years at Peachpit Press, editing books on everything from the first iPhone to Python. He also worked at a handful of now-dead computer magazines, including MacWEEK and MacUser. Unrelated, he roots for the Oakland A’s.
To date, the IRS has made 169 million payments for the third round of stimulus checks for $1,400. The agency continues to send weekly batches of payments, so there is still time if you are waiting for your money. However, there could actually be an issue with your payment and the IRS doesn’t want you to call them with problems related to a missing check.
Reasons for a delay could include a lag in mail delivery , if the IRS has incorrect direct deposit information for you or if the agency suspects identity theft. There might be other problems if you’re a recipient of SSI, SSDI or veterans benefits. Or maybe you received a letter from the IRS saying that your $1,400 payment was sent, but the check never arrived. Then what?
How To Claim Your Missing $600 Or $1200 Payments
The stimulus checks are generally advance payments of a tax credit.
The 2020 tax returns now offer a section where you can claim the recovery rebate credit for either the first $1,200 stimulus check or the second $600 payment if that money is due to you line 30 of Forms 1040 or 1040-SR.
On that part of the return, filers can start with the amount of stimulus money they already received and calculate any more funds which they are due. That can be done either through a worksheet provided with the tax form or through tax preparation software.
More from Personal Finance:
Also Check: Earned Income Tax Credit Stimulus
Second Stimulus Checks & Us Expats: What You Should Know
Q. What was the second stimulus check?
A. The second stimulus check was part of a December 2020 government relief package to provide financial relief to Americans during the pandemic. The relief package included $600 direct payments to each person with a Social Security Number who cannot be claimed as a dependent and earned under a certain amount of income. It also included up to $600 payments for each qualifying child under age 17.
Q. Did I get a second stimulus check if Im an American living overseas?
A. Yes, expats qualified for the second stimulus check. You qualified if you fall within the income threshold, have a social security number, and file taxes even if you live overseas.
Q. Did I need to sign up for it or sign off on it?
A. Most people didnt need to do anything to receive the second stimulus because the IRS based the payments off of 2019 tax returns. If you didnt file a 2019 return, you may be able to claim it on your 2020 tax return as a Recovery Rebate Credit.
Q. If I live abroad, when should I have gotten my second stimulus check if I qualified?
A. All of the second stimulus payments have gone out. Most people got a direct deposit.
Do I Qualify For The Child Tax Credit

Nearly all families with kids qualify. Some income limitations apply. For example, only couples making less than $150,000 and single parents making less than $112,500 will qualify for the additional 2021 Child Tax Credit amounts. Families with high incomes may receive a smaller credit or may not qualify for any credit at all. For more detail on the phase-outs for higher income families, see How much will I receive in Child Tax Credit payments?
If you have any questions about your unique circumstances, visit irs.gov/childtaxcredit2021.
Read Also: H& r Block Stimulus Tracker
How To Get The 3rd Stimulus Check
Filing your 2020 taxes might be a good idea if you think you qualify for more money than you’ve received.
Insider’s Tanza Loudenback reports that the legislation that created the third stimulus check also includes instructions to re-evaluate payments after the tax filing deadline. The IRS is giving itself 90 days after the 2020 tax filing deadline to top off payments for anyone who was underpaid.
Since the deadline for taxes has been extended to May 17, the window for additional payments and filing taxes is now a bit bigger.
Filing your 2020 taxes now can also open up the possibility of stimulus money for people who weren’t eligible last year. For example, those who lost income during the course of 2020 but weren’t eligible for a check based on their 2019 tax return could now be eligible.
Also, if you had a child in 2020 but haven’t yet done your 2020 taxes, filing them now could net you an additional dependent stimulus check payment.
Q How Will I Get My Third Stimulus Check If Im An American Living Overseas
A. There are two ways overseas Americans can get their third stimulus payment: Direct deposit or through the mail.
You should get your check via direct deposit if you received your latest tax refund through direct deposit or if the IRS has your direct deposit info from the last round of stimulus checks and you havent filed yet this year.
You need to have an account with a U.S. bank in order to get direct deposit.
We recommend you update your address if you:
- Dont know what address is on file
- Have moved to a different address
- Want your check sent somewhere other than the address they have on file
In addition to Form 8822, Change of Address, you may be able to update your address via phone, through a written statement, or on your tax return. You can see the IRS most up-to-date address change info on the IRS website.
Q. What happens if I live abroad and my direct deposit payment is returned by my U.S. financial institution?
A. Once your payment is returned, the IRS will issue your payment by mail as a check or U.S. Treasury-issued debit card. Typically, IRS will reissue the payment by mail within two weeks. Once the payment is reissued, the IRS Get My Payment tool will update to reflect your payment status.
Q. What if my third stimulus check was for the wrong amount?
A. If you didnt receive the full amount of the third payment you were owed , there are two times when you may receive additional stimulus money:
Don’t Miss: How Do I Claim My Third Stimulus Check
Tips For Individuals During The Coronavirus Pandemic
- If you dont need to use your stimulus check for anything urgent, consider investing or saving the money. A financial advisor can help you get started if you need help managing your money or investments. SmartAssets free tool can match you with financial advisors in your area in just five minutes. Get started now.
- If you are struggling to keep up with loan or credit card payments, you can take steps to protect your credit score and speak with your bank directly to see whether you can defer loan payments or waive certain fees.
- If you can afford it, investing in index funds during a recession is a safe option. But if youre looking for a slightly more aggressive approach, check out some free investment classes to learn more.
How To Check If You’re Still Owed Stimulus Money
The IRS issued the third stimulus payment — which was worth a maximum of $1,400 per qualifying adult and dependent — to more than 160 million people in early 2021. And, while most people received the full stimulus payment they qualified for, not everyone did.
If you think you’re still owed the money from the third stimulus payment, the good news is that you can still take steps to receive the money. You’ll just need to claim it as a Recovery Rebate Credit when you file your 2021 taxes this year. After your tax return is processed, the missing stimulus money will be issued along with the money sent to you as part of your refund.
But before you claim the third stimulus payment on your taxes, you may want to check to see if you’re entitled to the money. Doing so is simple: All you have to do is check to see if you’ve received Letter 6475 from the IRS.
These letters, which have already been issued by the IRS, were sent out to help you determine whether you can claim the money for the third stimulus on your taxes. In addition to helping you determine whether you can qualify for the Recovery Rebate Credit, this letter also includes instructions on how to claim the money on your taxes.
Also Check: Amount Of All Stimulus Checks