Elon Musk and DOGE have been actively involved in reducing federal jobs since the start of President Donald Trump’s second term, and if the loss of livelihoods disturbs you, there might be some hopeful news.
Possibly.
Recently, discussions surfaced about a strategy where DOGE would potentially convert some of its alleged government savings into dividend checks for the American populace. This idea initially emerged on social media as a suggestion from Azoria investment firm CEO James Fishback.
USA Today reported that “Musk, who the Trump administration stated in court doesn’t actually have a role at DOGE,” replied to Fishback on X, “Will check with the President.”
Such payments could, potentially, provide concrete proof to Americans of the savings accrued. Without this, it seems that cuts are occurring swiftly and aggressively, with no expected benefits for taxpayers.
Trump also shared his thoughts on the proposal.
“There’s even a new idea under consideration, where we give 20% of the DOGE savings to American citizens, and 20% towards reducing debt,” Trump stated during a recent speech in Miami.
However, if you find yourself at home with your bank account nearly empty, feeling hopeful about a potential cash influx — Fishback’s proposal reportedly suggests $5,000 payments — you may be in for disappointing news. If you’re low on funds, there’s a significant possibility you won’t qualify to receive a DOGE check, should they ever be distributed, according to Fishback’s plan.
This is because, according to Newsweek, Fishback’s proposal specifies that payments would only be disbursed to “households that are net-payers of federal income tax.” This means, as Newsweek points out, that only individuals who contribute more in taxes than they receive back would be eligible for the stimulus payments. Furthermore, the publication noted that most Americans with an adjusted gross income under $40,000 annually effectively pay no federal income tax.
Therefore, individuals from lower-income backgrounds do not currently qualify, as reported by Newsweek.
If you consider yourself part of that demographic, fret not. As it stands, there’s still no assurance that anyone will receive a stimulus check from DOGE, leaving open the possibility that no funds will be distributed at all.
