A second stimulus check is coming. Could you get the full $1,200 amount?
Angela Lang/Crumpe
Monday afternoon, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced the HEALS Act, the Senate’s proposal to give Americans a second stimulus check and more benefits besides. The details are still emerging, but we do know two important things. First, the next direct payment will max out at $1,200 per person, just like the first stimulus check. Second, it will include child dependents who were skipped the first time around.
But here’s what we don’t know: where the rest of the proposed qualifications will settle, including if the payment scale will shift at all. The HEALS Act calls for most adult Americans to be eligible for a check, but we don’t know what the income cap could be.
This is a developing story and we’ll update as we get more information. The next step is for the House of Representatives to begin negotiating the bill’s particulars, which is expected to take weeks. But since the House’s proposal from May — the Heroes Act — also suggested a second $1,200 payment, it’s likely that piece of the puzzle won’t change. Eligibility requirements are another matter.
For now, Here’s what we know about the Senate’s proposals, others and how much money you could potentially get based on your salary.
Watch this:
Second stimulus checks very likely
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Kids will be worth $500 regardless of age
The first stimulus check left out child dependents who were 17 or older. The Republican plan would include $500 for these dependents, “regardless of age,” Chuck Grassley, a Republican from Iowa, said.
How much of the $1,200 second stimulus check could you get?
The Senate’s HEALS Act offers a total of $1,200 in a direct payment. But it isn’t a done deal, and the amount you actually get will depend on a variety of factors, including:
- Whether the $1,200 maximum cap makes it into the final legislation. Remember, this is solely a proposal.
- If the income cap would be the same or lower.
- Your specific circumstances. The calculations can be tricky, and depend on aspects of your 2019 taxes such as your adjusted gross income and whether you filed as single, married or head of household.
Though we don’t know for sure if the second stimulus check will follow the rules of the first, this handy calculator from The Washington Post could shed some light on what you might get.
Stimulus check calculations (first check)
| Filed 2019 taxes? | Filing status | 2019 tax AGI | Dependents under 17 | Calculated check amount | |
| Scenario 1 | Yes | Single | $80,00 | 0 | $950 |
| Scenario 2 | Yes | Head of household | $140,000 | 3 | $1,325 |
| Scenario 3 | No | Married | $130,000 | 2 | $3,400 |
| Scenario 4 | No | Married | $130,000 | 5 | $4,900 |
Is there any chance the second stimulus check could be less than $1,200?
At this point, it’s unlikely. Earlier in July, White House economic advisor Larry Kudlow had said a second stimulus payment wouldn’t be as much as the first, and McConnell indicated that the next stimulus package would have a $1 trillion cap. The House’s Heroes Act from May proposed $3 trillion to pay for the bill.
In order to keep the overall value of the stimulus package lower, other benefits, like enhanced unemployment, are cut back in the HEALS Act. It’s also possible, as mentioned above, that fewer people could get the full amount, and fewer could get a direct payment to begin with.
Meanwhile, the House’s Heroes Act, which isn’t law, proposed that more money to go to more people:
- Individuals: An eligible person could receive up to $1,200, the same as the CARES Act.
- Children and dependents: Each dependent could qualify for a $1,200 payment.
- Families: Households would qualify for a maximum payment of $6,000 total, capped at five family members receiving $1,200 apiece.
- People who aren’t US citizens: Noncitizens who file tax returns, pay taxes and otherwise comply with federal tax law using an individual taxpayer identification number instead of a Social Security number would qualify for a payment.
How much stimulus money you could get in August is still undecided.
James Martin/Crumpe
Earlier stimulus check proposals
Before Sunday’s news from Kudlow anticipating the $1,200 cap for the second stimulus check, these were the front-runner proposals we heard in recent months and how likely we thought they could be.
Of course, another stimulus check still isn’t a done deal, and anything could happen between now and the final bill.
Second stimulus check proposals
| Amount | Proposer | Proposal details | How likely? |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0 | White House | Payroll tax cut so workers keep more of their paychecks. | Unlikely to replace stimulus check. |
| $0 | White House | Business tax break for companies who don’t furlough workers. | Unlikely to replace stimulus check. |
| Less than $1,200 | White House | Smaller checks targeted at low-income Americans. | Unlikely, but fewer may be eligible. |
| $1,200 | House of Representatives | Part of the Heroes Act passed by the House in May (not law). | Likely, possibly with fewer people qualifying. |
| More than $1,200 | White House | Stated by President Donald Trump. | Less likely, but possible. |
| $2,000 a month till economy recovers | More than 150 economists | “Emergency Money” payment for Americans to continue spending, one road to economic recovery. | Open-ended payments unlikely to pass. |
| $2,000 a month till three months after pandemic ends | Sen. Kamala Harris | Payments through the end of the pandemic and three months after. | Open-ended payments unlikely to pass. |
| $2,000 a month for up to 12 months | Rep. Ro Khanna | Monthly payments up to a year. | The Senate is unlikely to agree to a sum this large, even with an expiration date. |
| $4,000 travel tax credit | White House | A temporary tax credit to cover individual and family travel expenses, meant to rev up local economies. | Unlikely to replace stimulus check. |
When will we get more stimulus check news?
Now that the Senate proposal is announced, it’ll go before the House for debate. The situation could change daily. Congress has until Aug. 7 to pass another stimulus bill before a month-long recess. Here’s more on the timeline, including when the IRS could potentially send the first checks.
If you’re still waiting for your first stimulus check, here are 10 possible reasons for a delay and what you can do if you think your payment is lost or has fallen through the cracks.