Congress hasn't yet agreed who'll be eligible to receive a second stimulus check, but it's expected that more people will be included the second time around.
Sarah Tew/CNETNegotiations for a new stimulus bill are unlikely to begin again until after the Republican National Convention, which ends Thursday. A hugely scaled-back GOP stimulus bill and new USPS funding are also crowding the original idea of a larger economic relief package. So what does that mean for your chances of getting a second stimulus check at all?
For weeks, both Republican and Democratic lawmakers have said they want to strike a deal, but haven't met after initial talks broke down.
When asked about whether Congress will be able to pass anything between now and the November election -- or even by the end of the year -- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told MSNBC Monday, "A lot of that will be up to the administration."
Since the eligibility requirements haven't been solidified, it's possible that qualifications could shift, even if you got the first stimulus payment. But we do know of at least one demographic that wasn't eligible last time that could potentially be included.
Below, we detail who could qualify for a new stimulus payment -- and who might not. This story gets regular updates.
Second stimulus check: Who might be eligible
While we won't know for certain who will qualify for a new stimulus payment until legislation is passed, we can draw from the first stimulus check's eligibility requirements to get an idea of who may or may not get a second check, including the income limits and number of dependents.
Both Republicans and Democrats are using adjusted gross income, or AGI, to determine the payment amount for individuals and families, which would cap at $1,200 for individuals and $2,400 for married couples.
Who might qualify for the next stimulus check
| Qualifying group | Likely to be in final bill | Unlikely to be in final bill |
|---|---|---|
| Individual | An AGI of less than $99,000, under all proposals | – |
| Head of household | An AGI of less than $146,500, under all proposals | – |
| Couple filing jointly income | An AGI less than $198,000, under all proposals | – |
| Dependents of any age | No dependents limit specified, under HEALS Act | Up to three dependents, under Heroes Act |
| Noncitizens who pay taxes | – |
Suggested in the Heroes Act, which was not taken up by the Senate |
| Incarcerated | – |
Excluded under CARES Act |
| Owe child support | – |
The CARES Act excluded this group; the Heroes Act would include them |
| US citizen living aboard | Included under CARES Act | – |
| Resident of US territory | Under CARES Act, payments handled by each territory's tax authority | – |
More dependents may qualify for a second payment
The CARES Act took a narrow approach to defining a dependent and allowed a $500 payment only for a child age 16 or younger in the family. The HEALS and Heroes Acts both take a broader definition and allow any dependent you claim to qualify for a payment -- college students, children over 17, disabled relatives and taxpayers' parents.
The Democratic plan as outlined in the Heroes Act would cover $1,200 each, for up to three dependents, so a family of five people could receive a maximum of $6,000. We don't think this is a likely outcome in the final bill, considering the Senate has not addressed it.
Like the CARES Act, the Republican plan outlined in the HEALS Act would provide $500 for each dependent, but doesn't specify a cap on the number of dependents.
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Who did not get the first stimulus check
For the payments authorized under the CARES Act, which became law in March, these groups were excluded:
- Single taxpayers with an AGI over $99,000
- Heads of households with an AGI over $136,500
- Married couples with an AGI over $198,000
- Children over 16 and college students under age 24
- Nonresident aliens, as defined by the US government
When will Congress decide on stimulus check requirements?
Right now, the timeline for discussions is up in the air. Talks between Republican and Democratic negotiators on the new stimulus package stalled, but the two sides have signaled they are willing to pick up the debate. The Senate is on break until after Labor Day and the House after passing USPS funding having nothing scheduled. The chances of a deal in August seem unlikely, but an agreement in September is now in the picture. After the sides reach a deal, the stimulus bill won't take effect until the president signs it into law.
While we won't know for sure until the two sides come together on the next stimulus package, we have a good idea of when a check could be sent if a new bill passes.
For more, here's what we know about the major proposals for a second stimulus package. We also have information on unemployment insurance, what you can do if you've lost your job, if you could receive two refund checks from the IRS and what to know about evictions.
Shelby Brown contributed to this report.
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