Will you get a second stimulus check?
Here are the answers to the most popular questions about a second stimulus check.
Here’s what you need to know.
No, there is not a second stimulus check yet. There is only one stimulus check from the CARES Act, which is the $2.2 trillion financial stimulus package that Congress approved earlier this year. The first stimulus check included a one-time stimulus payment up to $1,200 for each individual and up to $500 for each dependent based on adjusted gross income.
Maybe. There likely will be another stimulus package, but it may not include a second stimulus check.
Congress decides whether there will be a second stimulus check. Congress, not the president, authorizes federal spending. Currently, Republicans control the U. S. Senate and they will have the biggest impact on the contents of the next stimulus package. Senate Republicans will draft the stimulus legislation along with the White House, with some input from Senate Democrats. The president can veto the next stimulus package, although this is unlikely.
There have been multiple proposals for a $2,000 a month stimulus check. For example, Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) and former presidential candidate Andrew Yang proposed a $2,000 a month stimulus check. Mark Cuban also proposed giving Americans $1,000 every two weeks. Yang also proposed $1,000 a month for life through a “Freedom Dividend.” However, if there is a second stimulus check, it likely be a one-time stimulus check and will not be monthly.
If there is a second stimulus check, the amount has not been decided. The first stimulus check was up to $1,200 for each eligible individual. House Democrats passed the $3 trillion Heroes Act, a financial stimulus bill that included up to a $1,200 second stimulus check for each individual and up to $1,200 for each dependent (with a maximum of three dependents). The U. S. Senate won’t approve the Heroes Act in its current form. If there is a second stimulus check, it’s possible it could be in this general dollar range (but unlikely to be more than the first stimulus check).
It’s important to note that many Americans still have not received a first stimulus check. Most Americans should receive their first stimulus check by Labor Day. Congress will likely vote on the next stimulus package next month before its August recess.
