On Thursday, the House of Representatives approved the second stimulus package. Even though the stimulus bill still has one more step to pass, it’s clear that lawmakers from both parties are willing to roll out the second stimulus check as we get closer to the November presidential elections. 

The second stimulus package introduced by the House Democrats has been called the revamped Heroes Act. One major change in the stimulus bill is that the definition of dependents has been changed to include more people. 

Who Is Eligible For The Second Stimulus Check?

As Nancy Pelosi’s starting point for the new stimulus bill is the Heroes Act and the Republicans’ starting point is the Cares Act, it is expected that the second stimulus package will have elements from both the previously proposed and passed bills. 

As per reports, individuals whose AGI is less than $99,000 and couples with an AGI of $198,000 are eligible for the second stimulus check. US citizens, who live abroad, will also be eligible under the new stimulus bill. Two other groups that are included under the Heroes Act are non-citizens who pay taxes and individuals who owe child support. 

An Updated Definition Of Dependents

Under the first stimulus package, many lawmakers agree that the definition of dependents was too narrow. That is why it looks like the updated definition of dependents under the new stimulus bill will make way for second stimulus checks to many more than the first one did. 

The CARES Act defined dependents as non-adults under the age of 16. They were eligible for $500 each. Now, the definition does not have an age limit. This means that adult dependents and college kids will also be eligible. 

Additionally, there is no cap on how many dependents one single family can have either. 

What Do Non-Filers Do To Receive Their Second Stimulus Check?

Similar to the first stimulus bill, the new stimulus package is also likely to include non-filers. 

You will be considered a non-filer is you don’t earn any money if you are over 24 years of age and do not earn more than $12,200. Individuals who receive Social Security Disability Insurance or other federal benefits are also considered non-filer eligibles. 

As per reports, there are still millions of non-filers who have not claimed their stimulus check yet. If you are a non-filer, you need to visit the non-filer tool by the IRS and fill in all your and your dependents’  information. A similar rule is expected for the second stimulus check. 

Which Groups Did Not Qualify For The First Stimulus Package?

Individuals whose AGI crossed $99,000 were considered ineligible. Moreover, non-adults over the age of 16 and under 25 were not considered either.