IRS extends deadline to claim stimulus checks

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - The Internal Revenue Service extended the deadline for individuals to claim an economic stimulus check.

According to the IRS, nearly nine million people who don’t normally file federal income taxes still need to register for an economic stimulus check.

The Oct. 15 deadline has now been extended to Nov. 21.

The additional time is only for those who have not received a stimulus check and don’t normally file a federal income tax return. The IRS said these individuals should register as quickly as possible using the IRSR Non-Filers tool. The tool will not be available after Nov. 21 due to the IRS preparing for the 2020 federal income tax filing season.

“We took this step to provide more time for those who have not yet received a payment to register to get their money, including those in low-income and underserved communities,” said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. “The IRS is deeply involved in processing and programming that overlaps filing seasons. Any further extension beyond November would adversely impact our work on the 2020 and 2021 filing seasons. The non-filers portal has been available since the spring and has been used successfully by many millions of Americans.”

Individuals who miss the deadline will have to file a 2020 federal income tax return to claim their credit.

Individuals who filed a 2019 or 2018 federal income tax return and didn’t receive a stimulus check, or registered with the IRS and didn’t get a check, can use the IRS Get My Payment tool to check its status.