Second stimulus check qualifications: Details on dependents, eligibility, non-filers

We may soon know who will be able to qualify for a second stimulus check if the final coronavirus relief bill takes shape later this week.

As negotiations continue on another rescue bill, last week’s passage of the House of Representatives’ new Heroes 2.0 proposal illuminates one point that has bipartisan support. A new relief bill could provide more stimulus money overall because both the Republican and Democratic proposals broaden the definition of who counts as a dependent. (Here’s how the IRS defines an adult in terms of stimulus checks.)

President Donald Trump’s COVID-19 diagnosis and current hospitalization could also affect the timeline for passing new economic relief legislation, but we’ll detail any relevant updates in this story.

Keep reading for a primer on eligibility — and consult the stimulus check calculator to estimate the size of your next check, when and if it happens.

How additional dependents could boost your family’s total sum

Not enough dependents were eligible for any money at all under the CARES Act, Republicans and Democrats both agree. Dependents aged 16 and younger were allotted $500 as part of the family payment, but new proposals from both sides want to expand the definition of a dependent to include people regardless of age — that means college students and adult dependents.

The new Democratic proposal (the revised Heroes Act) and the Republican HEALS Act would provide $500 for each dependent you claim on your taxes, no matter their age, with no specified cap on the number of dependents. That’s a change from the original Democratic proposal to extend $1,200 each, for up to three dependents (a $6,000 cap).

You can calculate your estimated total here.

Will you qualify for the second stimulus check? What we know

It’s likely that if a second stimulus check emerges, it’ll follow many of the guidelines from the CARES Act that governed the first check, but draw some changes from the revised Heroes Act and HEALS Act proposals, neither of which is law.

Who could qualify for a second stimulus check

Qualifying group	Likely to be covered by the final bill
Individuals	An AGI of less than $99,000 (Same as CARES)
Head of household	An AGI of less than $146,500 (Same as CARES)
Couple filing jointly	An AGI less than $198,000 (Same as CARES)
Dependents of any age	As defined by your tax filing (HEALS proposal; and revised Heroes Act)
US citizens living abroad	Yes, same as CARES
Citizens of US territories	Likely, with payments handled by each territory’s tax authority (CARES)
SSDI and tax nonfilers	Likely, but with an extra step to file (more below)
Disqualified group	Unlikely to be covered by the final bill
Noncitizens who pay taxes	Proposed in Heroes Act, unlikely to pass in Senate
Incarcerated people	Excluded under CARES Act
People who owe child support	Included in Heroes proposal, but excluded under CARES

What do your taxes have to do with eligibility?

For most people, taxes and stimulus checks are tightly intertwined. For example, the most important factor in setting income limits is adjusted gross income, or AGI, which determines how much of the $1,200 for individuals and $2,400 for married couples you could receive if you meet the other requirements.

Our stimulus check calculator can show you how much money you could potentially expect from a second check based on your most recent tax filing. Read below for your eligibility if you don’t typically file taxes.

An extra step that non-filers may need to take

People who weren’t required to file a federal income tax return in either 2018 or 2019 may still be eligible to receive the first stimulus check under the CARES Act. If that guideline doesn’t change for a second stimulus check, this group would qualify again. Here are reasons you might not have been required to file:

• You’re over 24, not claimed as a dependent and your income is less than $12,200.
• You’re married filing jointly and together your income is less than $24,400.
• You have no income.
• You receive federal benefits, such as Social Security or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). See below for more on SSDI.

With the first stimulus check, non-filers needed to provide the IRS with some information before they could receive their checks. The IRS is reaching out to 9 million Americans who may fall in this category but who have not requested their payment.

Could SSDI recipients receive another stimulus check?

Those who are part of the Social Security Disability Insurance program also qualify for a check under the CARES Act. Recipients wouldn’t receive their payments through their Direct Express card, which the government usually uses to distribute federal benefits, but through a non-Direct Express bank account or through a paper check. SSDI recipients also need to use the IRS’ Non-Filers tool to request a payment for themselves and dependents.

These groups were not included in the first stimulus round 

For the payments authorized under the CARES Act, which became law in March, these groups were excluded:

• Single taxpayers with an AGI over $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.
• People who are incarcerated.
• People who died since the previous tax filing. (Their families may not collect on their behalf and are expected to return the payment.)

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.