"The IRS announced the special step after reviewing internal data showing many eligible taxpayers who filed a return but did not claim the credit," the agency said in a press rele

Taxpayers who qualify should receive the payment by late January, according to the IRS. The estimated amount of payments going out will be about $2.4 billion. The IRS says taxpayers who haven't filed 2021 tax returns might be eligible as well, but they face an April 15 deadline to file their returns to claim the credit.

The IRS is paying out $2.4 billion to taxpayers who failed to claim a Recovery Rebate Credit on their 2021 tax returns.

The IRS said it's sending out checks worth up to $1,400 to 1 million people. Here's what to know about the "special payments."