Stimulus calculator: Find the size of your estimated second payment

A second round of stimulus checks is going out now. While you track your status with the IRS and track your paper check right to your mailbox, our stimulus check calculator can help you estimate how much money your household could receive in the next stimulus payment, and then help you keep on eye on the total you do receive to look for errors.

For tens of millions of people, calculating the size of your second stimulus check isn’t as simple as multiplying all the people in your household by $600 or dividing your first “$1,200” payment in half. The IRS stimulus check formula just doesn’t work like that. Instead, it’s a combination of second stimulus check qualifications that include a new income limit — many more people will be disqualified because of it — your AGI and the age of your kids. 

After your second stimulus check arrives through direct deposit, paper check or EIP card, you can use our stimulus calculator to make sure your estimated total more or less lines up with your actual check. A major deviation could indicate a calculation error, and require you to potentially claim money you don’t receive. by Jan. 15 using the IRS’ Recovery Rebate Credit.

Calculate your new stimulus payment here

You’ll need:

CNET’s stimulus calculator follows the formula the IRS uses to tabulate your household’s second stimulus payment, but note that it should be considered an estimate, not a guarantee of the IRS’ final check to you. The calculator does not store or share your personal information. 

If you don’t usually file taxes, here’s how to use this calculator

As with the first checks, the IRS will automatically send stimulus checks to many who normally aren’t required to file a tax return — including older adults, Social Security and SSDI and SSI recipients, certain veterans and railroad retirees. The IRS refers loosely to this group as nonfilers.

If you fall in one of these categories, enter your best guess in the calculator where it asks for your adjusted gross income.

Eligibility basics for a second stimulus check

Broadly, here’s who is eligible for money with the second stimulus payment. With the new law, payments top out at $600 apiece, and as you reach the upper AGI limit, the amount of your check will decrease. A family of four that qualifies, for example, could receive up to $2,400. For a complete breakdown, check out our stimulus check qualifications guide.

To get the full $600 stimulus per person, either:

• As an individual without qualifying children, you have an adjusted gross income of up to $75,000 (this completely phases out at $87,000, down from the $99,000 used for the first check).
• You file as the head of a household (you claim children) and earn under $112,500.
• You file jointly without children and earn less than $150,000 and no more than $174,000 (down from $198,000 from the first check).
• Any dependent child under age 17 will count for an additional $600.

Note, if you don’t qualify for a second stimulus check based on 2019 data but you would qualify based on your 2020 financial situation, you will not receive a second check this year. However, you can get that amount as a credit against your 2020 taxes.

If you qualify based on 2019 tax information but will be over the limit in 2020, you will receive a second check and do not need to repay it.

Who could be disqualified for this new payment?

We have a list of people who may not qualify for a second stimulus check. If you are over the income limit, a nonresident alien or a dependent 17 years of age or older, you won’t qualify for a check. The People’s Policy Project think tank estimates 13.5 million adult dependents will be excluded under the requirements, including 7.3 million students.

For everything to know about the second payment, see what else is in the new stimulus legislation, when the IRS could start sending checks and what we know about renewed federal unemployment benefits in the new law.