Navigating the Mail Maze: Your Comprehensive Guide to Tracking Your Third Stimulus Check by Mail Date

The arrival of the third Economic Impact Payment (EIP), authorized by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, brought a sigh of relief to millions of Americans grappling with the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic. For many, the $1,400 payment was deposited directly into their bank accounts. However, a significant portion of recipients awaited their relief via traditional mail, either as a paper check or an EIP Debit Card. The wait, coupled with the desire for financial stability, often led to anxiety and a pressing question: "When will my stimulus check arrive in the mail?"

This comprehensive guide is designed to empower you with the knowledge and tools needed to track your third stimulus check if it was sent by mail, understand the process, and know what steps to take if it seems to have gone astray. We’ll delve into the crucial "mail date" provided by the IRS, how to leverage the USPS, and what to do if your payment never materializes.

Understanding the Stimulus Payment Rollout: Direct Deposit vs. Mailed Payments

Before diving into tracking, it’s essential to understand the IRS’s payment hierarchy. The vast majority of payments were disbursed via direct deposit to bank accounts the IRS had on file from recent tax returns. This was the fastest and most efficient method.

However, if the IRS did not have current direct deposit information, or if a bank account was closed, the payment would default to a mailed delivery. This could be in one of two forms:

1. Paper Check: A standard paper check, similar to a tax refund check, issued by the U.S. Treasury.
2. Economic Impact Payment (EIP) Debit Card: A pre-loaded Visa debit card issued by MetaBank, N.A., which served as the Treasury’s financial agent. These cards often arrived in plain white envelopes, sometimes mistaken for junk mail.

The IRS issued these mailed payments in waves, typically after the initial direct deposit batches, which meant a longer waiting period for recipients. This phased approach, combined with potential postal delays, necessitated reliable tracking methods.

The Primary Tool: The IRS Get My Payment Tool (And Why the Mail Date Matters)

Your first and most crucial stop for tracking your third stimulus check is the official IRS Get My Payment tool, available on the IRS website (irs.gov/getmypayment). This tool was specifically designed to provide taxpayers with real-time updates on their stimulus payments.

How to Use It:

1. Navigate to irs.gov/getmypayment.
2. Click on the "Get My Payment" button.
3. You’ll need to provide some personal information to verify your identity:
   • Social Security Number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN)
   • Date of Birth
   • Street Address
   • ZIP Code

What the Get My Payment Tool Tells You (Focus on Mail Date):

Once you’ve successfully entered your information, the tool will display one of several statuses. The most important for mailed payments is:

• "Payment Status: You are eligible for the payment, and we sent your payment to [Your Address] on [Date]."
  • This is the golden ticket! The date provided here is the official mail date the IRS sent your check or EIP Card. This date is crucial for setting your expectations and for knowing when to consider your payment delayed or lost.
  • It will also specify whether it was sent as a check or an EIP Card.

Other Common Messages and What They Mean:

• "Payment Status Not Available": This could mean several things:
  • You are not eligible for a payment.
  • Your payment has not yet been processed.
  • The IRS doesn’t have enough information to determine your eligibility.
  • You recently filed a tax return, and the IRS is still processing it.
  • Action: Continue checking the tool periodically. Do not call the IRS immediately, as they will not have more information than the tool provides at this stage.
• "Need More Information": This indicates that your payment was returned to the IRS because the Post Office was unable to deliver it.
  • Action: The tool will provide a mechanism for you to update your mailing address. Once updated, the IRS will re-issue the payment.

Why the Mail Date is Critical: The mail date from the IRS Get My Payment tool is your starting point. It’s the date the payment officially left the IRS’s control. You should generally allow 7 to 10 business days after this mail date for your payment to arrive. Factors like postal service volume, your location, and the type of payment (check vs. EIP card) can influence actual delivery times.

The Secondary Tracking Tool: USPS Informed Delivery

While the IRS Get My Payment tool tells you when your check was mailed, the USPS Informed Delivery service can offer a glimpse into what’s coming to your mailbox. This free service provides subscribers with digital previews of their incoming mail and package tracking information.

How it Works:

1. Sign Up: Go to the USPS Informed Delivery website (informeddelivery.usps.com) and sign up for a free account. You’ll need to verify your identity, often by answering a series of security questions.
2. Daily Digest Emails: Once activated, USPS will send you daily email digests (Monday through Saturday) containing grayscale images of the exterior of letter-sized mailpieces that are scheduled to arrive at your address that day.
3. See Your Stimulus Check Before It Arrives: If your stimulus check (paper check or EIP Card envelope) is processed by automated mail sorting equipment, its image will appear in your Informed Delivery digest. This can provide a strong indication that your payment is literally "in the mail" and on its way to your mailbox.

Limitations of Informed Delivery:

• Not All Mail is Scanned: While most letter-sized mail is scanned, not every piece goes through the automated process that generates the images.
• Image Quality: The images are grayscale and sometimes blurry, showing only the exterior. You won’t see the check itself, just the envelope.
• Timing: The email shows mail scheduled for delivery that day, but actual delivery can sometimes be delayed due to unforeseen circumstances.
• Security: Ensure you’re signing up on the official USPS website to avoid scams.

Despite these limitations, Informed Delivery can be a valuable second layer of tracking, offering peace of mind by visually confirming the presence of your stimulus payment in the mail stream.

What to Expect When Your Payment Arrives by Mail

Knowing what to look for can prevent you from accidentally discarding your stimulus payment.

• Paper Checks: These will be standard U.S. Treasury checks, often larger than typical personal checks, and clearly marked from the "U.S. Department of the Treasury." They will arrive in a standard white envelope.
• EIP Debit Cards: These are often the source of confusion. The EIP Card arrives in a plain white envelope with the U.S. Department of the Treasury seal. The envelope will not explicitly state "stimulus check." Inside, you’ll find a Visa debit card issued by MetaBank, N.A. It’s crucial to open all official-looking mail, as many people mistakenly threw these away thinking they were junk mail or credit card solicitations. Once received, follow the activation instructions provided with the card.

Troubleshooting: Your Stimulus Check is Delayed or Missing

You’ve checked the IRS Get My Payment tool, noted your mail date, and waited the recommended 7-10 business days, perhaps even monitoring USPS Informed Delivery, but still no check. What now?

1. Recheck the IRS Get My Payment Tool:

• Ensure the status hasn’t changed. Sometimes, payments are returned to the IRS, and the status updates to "Need More Information." If so, update your address.

2. Verify Your Mailing Address:

• Did you move recently? Did you update your address with the IRS? Mail forwarding services may not always work for government checks. If your address has changed since you last filed taxes, the check might have been sent to an old address.
• You can typically update your address with the IRS by filing Form 8822, Change of Address, or by filing your most recent tax return with the new address.

3. Check Your Mail Thoroughly:

• Look through all mail, especially plain white envelopes. The EIP Card in particular was easy to overlook.
• Check with family members who might have sorted the mail.

4. Allow More Time:

• While 7-10 business days is a general guideline, postal service delays can occur. In some cases, it could take up to three weeks from the mail date.

5. Consider a Payment Trace (If the Wait is Too Long):

If it has been more than four weeks (21 days for paper checks, or 14 days for EIP Cards) since your official mail date according to the Get My Payment tool, and you still haven’t received your payment, you can request a payment trace.

When to Request a Trace:

• More than 21 days since the mail date for a paper check.
• More than 14 days since the mail date for an EIP Card.
• The Get My Payment tool shows your payment was sent, but you haven’t received it.
• Your bank didn’t receive the direct deposit.

How to Request a Trace:

• Call the IRS: The most common method is to call the IRS at 800-919-9835. Be prepared for potentially long wait times.
• Mail or Fax Form 3911: You can also complete and mail or fax Form 3911, Taxpayer Statement Regarding Refund (or, in this case, stimulus payment). Write "EIP" at the top of the form. Instructions for where to send it are on the form itself.

What Happens After a Trace is Initiated:

• The IRS will investigate whether the payment was cashed (for checks) or activated (for EIP cards).
• If the payment hasn’t been cashed/activated, the IRS will usually issue a replacement payment.
• If the payment was cashed/activated, the IRS will provide you with a copy of the cashed check or information about when and where the EIP Card was activated. You may then need to work with your financial institution or local law enforcement if you believe the payment was fraudulently intercepted.
• The trace process can take up to 6 weeks to complete. Do not try to claim a Recovery Rebate Credit (see below) while a trace is in progress.

The Recovery Rebate Credit: The Last Resort

If, after all attempts to track your payment and even after initiating a payment trace, you still haven’t received your third stimulus check, or if the trace concludes that the payment was never sent or was truly lost, you can claim the payment as a Recovery Rebate Credit on your next tax return.

• The third stimulus check was an advance payment of the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit.
• When you file your 2021 tax return (typically in early 2022), you will calculate if you were eligible for the full $1,400 per person payment.
• If you did not receive it, or received less than you were eligible for, you can claim the difference as a refundable credit on your tax return. This will either increase your refund or reduce the amount of tax you owe.
• Keep IRS Letter 6475 (Your 2021 Economic Impact Payment) which summarizes your EIP3 payment. This letter will be crucial for accurately claiming the Recovery Rebate Credit.

Important Reminders and Warnings:

• Beware of Scams: The IRS will never call, text, email, or contact you on social media asking for personal or financial information related to stimulus checks. Be suspicious of anyone asking you to pay a fee to get your stimulus money.
• Keep Records: Document all dates you check the IRS tool, the mail date provided, and any correspondence with the IRS or USPS.
• Patience is Key: While frustrating, the IRS processes millions of payments. Delays are inevitable. Rely on the official tools and processes.

Conclusion

Waiting for a much-needed stimulus check can be a trying experience, especially when relying on postal delivery. However, by leveraging the IRS Get My Payment tool to pinpoint your official mail date and utilizing USPS Informed Delivery for real-time mail insights, you can stay informed and proactive. Should your payment go missing, the structured process of requesting a payment trace and, ultimately, claiming the Recovery Rebate Credit on your tax return ensures that you will eventually receive the financial relief you are owed. Stay vigilant, informed, and patient, and your third stimulus check will eventually find its way to you.