Could $5,000 DOGE stimulus checks happen? Here’s what we know.
The idea of $5,000 stimulus checks backed by the Trump administration’s agenda to decrease federal expenditure has emerged, but will it actually take place?
Are you potentially in line for a government check?
Possibly? President Donald Trump mentioned in February that he was exploring a proposal for a $5,000 check, intended to be funded through savings from the Department of Government Efficiency, distributed to taxpayers as a dividend.
“There’s a concept under discussion where we allocate 20% of the DOGE savings to American citizens, with another 20% aimed at reducing debt,” Trump stated at the FII Priority Summit in Miami.
The concept was initially proposed by James Fishback, a user on X.
Here’s what you should know regarding the potential DOGE check.
What is DOGE?
The Department of Government Efficiency, officially known as the U.S. DOGE Service Temporary Organization, is an initiative introduced by Trump and overseen by ‘special government employee’ and billionaire Elon Musk.
The mission of DOGE is to cut federal spending, simplify regulations, and update federal technology and software to boost government efficiency and productivity.
Will there be a DOGE check? How much would it be? When could I expect my DOGE check?
If Musk meets his target of cutting $2 trillion in spending by next year, Fishback claimed that 20% of DOGE savings could mean $5,000 for each taxpaying household. However, it remains uncertain whether DOGE will achieve this target.
Additionally, there is no assurance that such a plan will materialize. Any form of stimulus payment from the U.S. government would require Congressional approval.
If it occurs, who would be eligible for the DOGE stimulus check?
The prospective refund would be allocated solely to households that are net-income taxpayers—those who pay more in taxes than they receive back—while lower-income Americans would not qualify, as per news reports. The Pew Research Center indicates that most Americans with an adjusted gross income below $40,000 effectively pay no federal income tax.
The suggested DOGE refund check would be provided per household rather than for each individual taxpayer, including those receiving Social Security benefits who meet the income tax criteria.
Trump has not given additional specifics or details regarding the possible ‘DOGE dividend’ or its likelihood.
When can you expect a DOGE stimulus check?
There has been no indication that DOGE will issue a stimulus check as a result of cost-cutting measures. Any form of stimulus payment from the U.S. government must receive Congressional approval. Don’t anticipate receiving a check anytime soon.
When it was initiated, DOGE aimed to conserve as much as $2 trillion per year. DOGE claims to have already saved $115 billion through government cuts so far, but this figure is unverified and contested.
-USA TODAY Network reporters Maria Francis and Marley Malenfant contributed to this report.
