IRS Stimulus Check Notice (Notice 1444-C): What You Need to Know

You may need to keep your Notice 1444-C.

After the American Rescue Plan Act was signed into law by President Joe Biden in March of 2021, millions of Americans received $1,400 coronavirus stimulus payments deposited into their bank accounts or sent via direct deposit. These stimulus checks were designed to provide more financial relief as Americans continue to cope with the economic fallout of COVID-19.

After receiving your stimulus check, you should also get a letter in the mail from the IRS about your payment. The communication from the Internal Revenue Service is called Notice 1444-C. It's a follow-up to Notice 1444-A and Notice 1444-B, which were letters sent out after the first and second stimulus check, respectively.

Your IRS letter should typically arrive around 15 days after your stimulus check was sent or your direct deposit was made. That means most people have already received their latest Notice 1444-C form or will soon.

When the letter is sent out, the IRS advises that you should keep it.

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Why you should keep your IRS stimulus check letter

The IRS has recommended that you keep your Notice 1444-C because your 2021 Economic Impact Payment letter contains information about the amount of money that you received. The IRS cannot reissue a copy of it, and you may need the form in the future when you file your taxes.

It's especially important to keep your IRS letter if your third stimulus check payment hasn't arrived or if you believe that you received the incorrect amount of money when the third check was sent.

There are many reasons why you might have received the wrong amount, such as the IRS basing your payment amount on an old tax return or the IRS not being aware that you have a new dependent in your family who is entitled to an extra $1,400 payment. And if you didn't get your check at all, it may be because you had an old address or bank account on file.

Your letter can help you to address these issues. By referring to your Notice 1444-C, you can find out how the money was sent out as the form will explain whether it was mailed or delivered via direct deposit. And your notice will contain a record of the amount you should have received.

This record of the amount paid out to you can help make it possible to eventually claim any funds that you're missing. Unfortunately, depending on your situation, you may have to wait until you file your 2021 taxes to do so -- although this won't be the case for people entitled to an IRS plus-up payment (payments the agency is in the process of sending out to people who filed their 2020 tax returns after their checks were sent and whose 2020 returns show they were entitled to additional funds).

If you didn't receive Notice 1444-C about your stimulus payment, you can create a federal tax account on the IRS website to get the information you need about your stimulus check amount and status -- but when possible, it's easier to just keep this letter with your tax documents when it comes so you'll have it ready if you need it.