Stimulus check requirements: How your eligibility could vary with a new relief bill

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The final proposal for qualifications to get a second stimulus check is coming into focus.


Sarah Tew/CNET

Will you be among those who are eligible for a second stimulus check this year? Though the president’s executive actions signed over the weekend are now part of the conversation, the answer hinges on whether talks for another rescue package resume — and here’s why we think they will 

Both Republican and Democratic lawmakers have indicated that they’re open to resuming negotiations, but it may take time for the two sides to first reach an agreement on how much they’re willing to bend.

In a joint statement released Wednesday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer addressed the need to resume talks.

“The lives and livelihoods of the American people as well as the life of our democracy are at stake,” they said.

If a deal to pass a bill is sealed, it’s possible that who qualifies will change and that could be a chance for families to get more stimulus money as a whole. Will you be eligible? Read on to learn everything we know right now about what will happen if a final bill is passed. This story updates often as the situation develops.

Who would get a stimulus check if the HEALS Act is passed?

There may be continued discussions over stimulus relief in the coming weeks. If the HEALS Act becomes law, it would largely replicate the payment eligibility set out in the earlier CARES Act, with a new allowance for dependents:

  • A single US resident with an adjusted gross income, or AGI, less than $99,000
  • A head of a household earning under $146,500
  • A couple filing jointly without children and earning less than $198,000
  • A dependent of any age

Under the CARES Act, the cutoff to receive a $500 dependent check was age 16 and younger; college students under 24 years old weren’t eligible to receive a check. The Republican proposal would exclude people in prison and people who recently died from qualifying for a check. The bill would also prohibit creditors and banks from seizing the payment to pay debts.


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The Heroes Act’s outline for stimulus check requirements

The Democratic proposal offers broader eligibility parameters in the Heroes Act, which was advanced by the House of Representatives on May 15. Although Senate Republicans and the president oppose the plan, we can look to this bill to see the Democratic position on the upper limits of who might qualify in a broad proposal:

  • Individuals who made less than $99,000 according to the adjusted gross income from their 2018 or 2019 taxes (whichever was most recently filed)
  • College students, dependents over 17, disabled relatives and taxpayers’ parents
  • Families of up to five people, for a cap of $6,000 per family
  • SSDI recipients
  • People who aren’t US citizens but do file tax returns, pay taxes and otherwise comply with federal tax law using an individual taxpayer identification number instead of a Social Security number
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It could soon become clear who will qualify for another stimulus check.


Sarah Tew/CNET

Here’s who did not receive a stimulus check under the CARES Act

Under the CARES Act, which became law in March, these groups were excluded from receiving the first payment:

  • Single taxpayers with an adjusted gross income above $99,000
  • Heads of households with an AGI over $136,500
  • Married couples with an AGI over $198,000
  • Children over 16 and college students under age 24
  • Nonresident aliens, as defined by the US government

When will Congress reach an agreement on the eligibility requirements?

Right now, the timeline for continued discussions remains up in the air. While talks between Republican and Democratic negotiators on the new stimulus package stopped last week, the two sides have signaled they are willing to pick up the debate. If official talks resume and negotiators reach an agreement soon, the House of Representatives and Senate could still hold votes on the bill later in August. After the sides reach an agreement, the stimulus bill won’t take effect until the president signs it into law. 

And while we won’t know for sure until the two sides come together on the next stimulus package, we have a good idea when a check could be sent, if a new bill passes.

For more, here’s what we know about the major proposals for a second stimulus package. We also have information on unemployment insurance, what you can do if you’ve lost your job, if you could receive two refund checks from the IRS and what to know about evictions.

Shelby Brown contributed to this report.

source: cnet.com