How Can I Qualify for That $1,400 Stimulus Check?
The U.S. Congress has approved a third round of direct stimulus payments in less than a year, meaning that most Americans can expect another cash infusion in the coming weeks.
President Joe Biden signed into law a third round of direct stimulus transfers in less than a year, meaning that most Americans can expect another cash infusion in the coming weeks. The Internal Revenue Service has begun sending more than $410 billion in payments to low- and middle-income households, the largest batch of direct household assistance yet during the pandemic. Democrats say that these $1,400 checks, combined with $600 approved in December, fulfill a pledge made late last year to send $2,000 to American households. The hope is that the payments can help families cover costs while hundreds of millions of people wait to be vaccinated and return to more normal daily routines.
Individuals who earn as much as $75,000, or couples making $150,000, plus their children or adult dependents, qualify for the full $1,400 per person. Single parents with at least one dependent who earn $112,500 or less also get the full amount. Families in which some members have different citizenship and immigration classifications are also eligible for a payment, if at least one person has a Social Security number. The payments phase out much more quickly than in previous rounds: An individual with income of $80,000, or a couple with $160,000, get nothing. That’s the result of a last-minute compromise to maintain the support of moderate Democrats who wanted to more narrowly target the money.