Honestly, it feels like a lifetime ago, doesn't it? Back when we were all stuck at home, baking sourdough and obsessively checking the mail for a government envelope. Between 2020 and 2021, the U.S. government sent out three distinct rounds of direct payments, officially called Economic Impact Payments, to help people stay afloat during the chaos.
But if you look at your bank statements now, the numbers probably look like a jumble of $1,200, $600, and $1,400. People still get confused about who got what.
Let's break down exactly how much was each stimulus check and the weird little rules that determined if you got the full amount or nothing at all.
The Big First Wave: The CARES Act ($1,200)
The first round was the heavy hitter. Signed into law in March 2020 by President Trump, the CARES Act was basically an emergency fire extinguisher for a burning economy.
Most adults received $1,200. If you were married and filed jointly, that jumped to $2,400.
But here is where it got sticky for parents. You only got $500 per child, and they had to be under 17. If you had a 17-year-old high schooler or a college student you were still supporting? Tough luck. They didn't count for that extra cash.
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The Income "Cliff"
The government didn't just give this to everyone. They used a "phase-out" system.
- Single filers: Full payment up to $75,000 in adjusted gross income (AGI).
- Head of household: Up to $112,500.
- Married filing jointly: Up to $150,000.
If you made more than that, the check started shrinking. For every $100 you earned over the limit, they took away $5. Basically, if you were single and made over $99,000, your check vanished completely.
The Second Round: The $600 Surprise
By December 2020, things were still pretty bleak. After a lot of arguing in Congress, the Consolidated Appropriations Act was passed. This one was much smaller.
Most people saw $600 hit their accounts in early January 2021. Couples got $1,200.
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However, there was one big improvement for families: the child payment was also $600. This meant a family of four actually got $2,400 total, which wasn't nothing. The income limits stayed the same as the first round, but because the base amount was smaller, the "cutoff" happened much faster. If you made $87,000 as a single person, you were already out of the running.
The Third Round: The $1,400 American Rescue Plan
Then came March 2021. President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan, which brought the largest single checks of the whole pandemic.
This round gave $1,400 to eligible individuals and $2,800 to married couples.
The coolest part about this one? They finally fixed the "dependent" problem. Instead of just "children under 17," they paid $1,400 for any dependent. This included college students, disabled adults, and elderly parents living with their kids. It made a massive difference for multi-generational households.
The "Trap Door" Phase-Out
While the third check was bigger, the government was much stingier about who got it. They used a "cliff" instead of a slow fade.
- If you were single and made $80,000, you got $0.
- If you were married and made $160,000, you got $0.
It didn't matter if you had ten kids; if you hit that hard cap, the whole payment disappeared.
Did You Actually Get Your Money?
Believe it or not, billions of dollars went unclaimed. Some people moved and the check went to an old address. Others didn't have a bank account on file with the IRS.
By 2026, the "Recovery Rebate Credit" is the way most people have had to settle the score. Basically, if the IRS owed you a stimulus check but never sent it, you had to claim it as a credit on your tax return.
If you're looking back now and realizing you missed out, you usually have a three-year window from the original tax deadline to file an amended return and claim that money. For the 2021 checks (the $1,400 ones), that clock is ticking fast.
Why Does This Still Matter in 2026?
You might wonder why we're still talking about this. Well, economists are currently debating the "stimulus hangover." Some experts, like those at the Federal Reserve, argue that the sheer volume of cash—over $800 billion across all three rounds—contributed to the inflation spike we've been dealing with.
Others point out that it kept millions of children out of poverty and prevented a total housing collapse.
Regardless of where you stand on the politics, the numbers are the numbers.
- Round 1: $1,200 adult / $500 child
- Round 2: $600 adult / $600 child
- Round 3: $1,400 adult / $1,400 any dependent
Actionable Next Steps:
Check your old tax transcripts on the IRS website. Look for "Notice 1444" or "Letter 6475." If you see a payment listed that you know never hit your bank account, you can still request a "payment trace" from the IRS. It takes a while, but it's your money. Don't leave it on the table.