I don’t know if you knew, but you could be missing out on valuable money, juicy checks from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) that you may not have claimed and that you need to request RIGHT NOW, if you don’t want to lose it forever. We know that “IRS” usually means “boring,” but this is not the case, I can assure you.
As of today, the IRS has more than 1 billion dollars in unclaimed tax refunds from tax year 2021. Yes, you read that right: a billion that belongs to taxpayers. And if you didn’t file your tax return that year, some of that money could be yours. The average amount people are passing up is around $781, but beware: this is in addition to other credits you could also claim (more on that in a second).
Claim this tax refund before March 15, or the IRS will take it away from you forever
The key detail here is the deadline, which expires soon to be able to claim this money that legally belongs to you: you have until April 15, 2025, and there are no possible time extensions.
If you don’t complete the procedure, goodbye money. Literally. After that date, the cash automatically belongs to the US Treasury, and no, you will not be able to get it back. The good news is that if you haven’t filed your 2021 return yet, you still have time.
Look for your papers, check if you’re missing anything, and moveª The IRS has online guides to help you, but if you’re lost, an accountant could save the day.
There are other stimulus checks that were sent in Donald Trump’s first administration, during the COVID-19 pandemic, and thousands of people across the US never claimed them. The IRS is trying to locate those who are missing, and if you didn’t file your 2021 return, you could be on the list of those who have yet to receive their share. So far, there are already two checks that have your name on them and maybe you didn’t even know you had to cash them!
How to claim the 2021 $1,400 stimulus check?
The issue works like this: if you did not receive one or more stimulus payments (the famous EIP), you can claim the Recovery Refund Credit. The maximum amount is $1,400 per person, depending on your situation. The IRS has already handed out almost everything, but if you fall into this category, you can still get into the system. Of course, again: the deadline is the same April 15, 2025.
Finding out if you apply is very easy: if you haven’t filed your 2021 taxes, start there. If you already submitted them, but did not claim the credit, check to see if you qualify. The IRS page has tools to verify your eligibility. And if you don’t understand anything, don’t worry: call their customer service or consult a professional.
DOGE Dividends: What do we know about the proposed $5,000 stimulus payments to Trump?
Now, let’s talk about something that has been doing the rounds online: the idea that the government could send $5,000 checks thanks to the savings of a certain Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). It all started when Donald Trump mentioned the idea of distributing part of these supposed savings as a dividend to citizens.
According to James Fishback of Azoria Partners, the thing would be like this: if DOGE saves 2 billion (yes, with a b), 20% of that would be enough for a check of $5,000 per house. Sounds nice, doesn’t it? But…
Here comes the big but: this is just a proposal. It’s not law, there are no specific dates, and it’s not even clear if DOGE exists as a real entity (yes, the name sounds like a meme, but seriously: has anyone verified this?). Trump mentioned it, Fishback explained it on FOX News, and there’s even a website (mydogedividend.com), but so far, zero official updates. We will be attentive to bring you more information and help you determine if you qualify to receive that $5,000, should the plan come to fruition.
