Would You Be Eligible for $5,000 DOGE Stimulus Checks from Trump?

Are you anticipating a stimulus check stemming from the Trump administration’s DOGE initiative? Is it categorized as a stimulus check, a refund check, or a dividend, and what would be the source of these funds?

During a speech in February, President Donald Trump mentioned he is contemplating a plan to distribute $5,000 stimulus checks to taxpayers in the form of a ‘DOGE dividend.’ He framed this initiative as utilizing 20% of the savings identified by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency to benefit the American public.

This ‘DOGE dividend’ concept was earlier proposed on Tuesday by James Fishback, CEO of Azoria investment firm, via Musk’s social media platform X, suggesting that Trump and Musk “ought to announce a ‘DOGE Dividend’ — a tax refund sent to every taxpayer, funded solely by a portion of the total savings attributed to DOGE.” Musk responded with, “Will check with the President.”

Here’s what you need to know about a potential DOGE check.

What is DOGE?

The Department of Government Efficiency, officially known as the U.S. DOGE Service Temporary Organization, is a program established by Trump and led by ‘special government employee’ Musk.

DOGE’s objective was to cut federal spending, streamline regulations, and modernize federal technology and software to boost government efficiency and productivity.

What’s the latest on the DOGE stimulus check?

Fishback recently stated that discussions with lawmakers from both the House of Representatives and Senate have been “productive” and offered valuable insights.

“The next step involves a bill, which is on its way very soon,” he mentioned in an interview with Newsweek.

However, the Federal Reserve has yet to make any significant comment regarding the proposal.

“Speculating on political ideas or fiscal policy isn’t acceptable for me,” said Jerome Powell, chair of the Federal Reserve, during a news conference video shared on social media.

Who would qualify for the DOGE stimulus check?

The proposed refund would be allocated only to households that are net-income taxpayers—people who pay more in taxes than they receive back. Lower-income Americans would not be eligible for the benefit, as many with an adjusted gross income below $40,000 effectively pay no federal income tax according to the Pew Research Center.

The suggested DOGE refund would be provided per household rather than to individual taxpayers, which includes those receiving Social Security benefits who meet the income tax criteria.

Trump has not provided any further specifics or confirmations regarding the potential ‘DOGE dividend’ or its likelihood.

When can you expect a DOGE stimulus check?

As of now, there’s no indication that DOGE will issue a stimulus check stemming from cost-cutting measures. Any stimulus payout from the U.S. government would need Congressional approval. Don’t anticipate a check anytime soon.

Since its initiation, DOGE aimed to achieve savings of approximately $2 trillion annually. DOGE claims to have realized $130 billion in governmental cuts thus far, but this figure has not been substantiated.

As reported by WHYY.org, those figures are questionable. “An NPR investigation into over 1,100 contracts from the initial release indicates DOGE’s ‘maximally transparent’ calculations may overstate its estimated savings by billions,” the report states.

The agency has made considerable cutbacks across various federal departments, resulting in widespread layoffs of federal employees. Affected departments include the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Department of Education, the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

-Report contributed by Maria Francis of the USA TODAY Network.