FILE - Sheets of U.S. Treasury checks are prepared for printing at the Bureau of the Fiscal Service, which handles the distribution of federal payments such as tax refunds and stimulus checks. (Photo by Jeff Fusco/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES - The IRS says there are no new stimulus checks on the way, despite viral claims circulating on social media.
Posts widely shared Friday alleged that the IRS and Treasury Department had approved $1,390 payments for low- and middle-income taxpayers to be distributed before the end of the summer.
An IRS spokesperson said those claims are false.
Where the $1,390 stimulus check rumor came from
What we know:
Stimulus checks, also known as economic impact payments, must be authorized by Congress before the Treasury Department can issue them. No such legislation has passed in 2024.
The rumor may stem from a separate IRS announcement earlier this year about distributing about $2.4 billion to taxpayers who failed to claim a 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit. That refundable credit, worth up to $1,400 per person, was tied to COVID-era stimulus programs — but the deadline to claim it was April 15.
What we don't know:
It’s unclear who started the recent $1,390 stimulus check rumor or why it gained traction this week. The IRS has not announced any new relief programs, and no similar proposals are currently moving through Congress other than one from Sen. Josh Hawley that remains in committee.
The backstory:
Three major stimulus packages during the coronavirus pandemic — the CARES Act, the COVID-related Tax Relief Act, and the American Rescue Plan Act — authorized direct payments to most Americans. Similar payments were sent out in 2008 during the Great Recession.
Hawley, a Missouri Republican, proposed the American Worker Rebate Act in July, which would send at least $600 per taxpayer from tariff revenue, plus extra payments for qualifying children. The bill has not passed either the House or Senate.
The other side:
Hawley says Americans "deserve a tax rebate" and likens his proposal to one floated by former President Donald Trump. Supporters argue that sharing tariff revenue would put money back in Americans’ pockets.
Opponents say such rebates could be unpredictable because they rely on fluctuating tariff revenue and would need congressional approval before reaching taxpayers.
The Source: This report is based on information from the Associated Press, IRS statements, U.S. Treasury Department records, and congressional bill tracking for the American Worker Rebate Act.