Are DOGE Checks Real? Here’s Why You Might Not Receive the Complete $5,000.

Americans might not receive the anticipated full $5,000 stimulus payments from the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Instead, the payouts could potentially be as low as $1,250—a significant decrease from the original expectation.

James Fishback, CEO of Azoria, an investment firm, suggested the concept of DOGE stimulus payments, but told Newsweek that the $5,000 figure is not guaranteed; the amount eligible taxpayers receive will depend on how much DOGE manages to save. Currently, the agency claims to have saved approximately $130 billion through workforce reductions and extensive governmental budget cuts.

“DOGE will save what it saves. I believe DOGE will maximize its savings,” Fishback expressed to Newsweek. If DOGE achieves its ambitious $2 trillion savings target, Fishback states that the government will be better positioned to issue $5,000 checks. Otherwise, payments may be lower.

DOGE payments may fall short of $5,000 if savings goal is unmet. Here’s the reason

Fishback discussed the potential payments on “The David Lin Report” podcast, clarifying that “this plan is not predetermined to the $5,000 figure,” indicating that if savings exceed or fall short of this amount, the checks will adjust accordingly.

“So, if the savings are only $1 trillion, which I believe is quite low, the check would drop from $5,000 to $2,500,” Fishback mentioned. He also added, “If the savings are merely $500 billion, which is exceptionally low, then the [checks] would be just $1,250.”

The status of DOGE checks: Trump administration is still evaluating payouts

The future of DOGE stimulus checks remains unclear. The proposal must pass through several approvals before payments can be issued to Americans.

Initially, Congress must approve the payments, which might decide to reallocate the savings toward reducing the national debt.

Additionally, DOGE needs to accumulate $2 trillion in savings, among other stipulations, indicating that a delay in receiving checks could be expected.

Moreover, according to Fishback’s plan, DOGE would only issue payments to qualifying households above a certain income threshold that are net-income taxpayers (individuals who pay more in taxes than they receive back), thus excluding lower-income Americans from eligibility, as reported by USA TODAY.

Fishback emphasized, “This specifically targets households that are net contributors to federal income tax, suggesting they typically spend less and save a transfer payment like the DOGE dividend more effectively.”