2020 Coronavirus Stimulus Check
Stimulus Check Overview
The 2020 coronavirus stimulus check provides $1,200 to adults with annual incomes up to $75,000 for individuals, plus another $500 per child. Reduced checks go out to those making up to $99,000 a year and figures are adjusted based on filing status.[1]
That means families with more members get extra relief, and that means that some families with higher incomes won’t get a check.
This check is part of a $2 Trillion stimulus package that has passed the Senate, but has not yet become law. We will update this page with the final figures once the law is passed.
In most cases payments will be automatically deposited in the bank account you use for taxes, or will be mailed to you, but you can request and track your payment at the IRS’s Economic Impact Payments page.
Below is other helpful information to know about the $1,200 stimulus check.
DETAILS: More specifically, the checks provide $1,200 per adult to adults with annual incomes according to 2018 or 2019 tax filings of up to $75,000 or less, $150,000 in the case of joint returns for married couples, and $112,500 for head of household; and provides $500 for each child. However those numbers are reduced on a sliding scale for incomes up to $99,000, $198,000, and $136,500 respectively. These details are covered below.
FACT: You can find the exact wording related to the check in Title II Subtitle B Page 144.
FACT: Workers who are suffering from COVID-19 or who have family members who are may see extra relief due to expanded paid leave under the Families First Coronavirus Relief Act.
How Do I Get a Stimulus Check?
You will automatically be sent a stimulus check if you qualified based on 2019 tax filing (or 2018 tax filing if you did not file for 2019 yet).
Who Qualifies For the Stimulus Check?
U.S. citizens or resident aliens who:
- Have a valid Social Security number,
- Could not be claimed as a dependent of another taxpayer, and
- Had adjusted gross income (AGI) under certain limits.
In terms of income specifically, anyone making less than $99,000 as an individual, $136,500 as a head of household, or $198,000 as a family qualifies based on 2019 tax filing (or 2018 tax filing if they did not file for 2019 yet). Meanwhile, even non-filers may qualify.
TIP: Non filers can apply for their check at https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/non-filers-enter-payment-info-here.
FACT: Over 80% of American adults are projected to receive a check.
When Will the Stimulus Check Be Sent?
The date is not confirmed yet, but the current goal is April 6.
How Do I Calculate How Much I will Get From the Stimulus Check?
- First figure out your Adjusted Gross Income or AGI (income after deductions) in 2019 based on your 2019 tax filing (or 2018 tax filing if you did not file for 2019 yet)
- Figure out how many adults are in your household.
- Figure out how many children are in your household.
Then, for single adult households:
- If you made less than $75,000 AGI, add $1,200 per adult and $500 per child.
- If you made between $75,000 and $99,000, deduct $5 for every $100 in income above $75,000.
For Married couples:
- If you made less than $150,000 AGI, add $1,200 per adult and $500 per child.
- If you made between $150,000 and $198,000, checks will be reduced on a sliding scale.
For Head of household:
- If you made less than $112,500 AGI, add $1,200 per adult and $500 per child.
- If you made between $112,500 and $136,500, checks will be reduced on a sliding scale.
For more, see the Washington Post’s “Calculate how much you’ll get from the $1,200 (or more) coronavirus checks.”