It’s been five years since the COVID-19 pandemic hit the United States, prompting the federal government to issue three stimulus checks.
Since President Donald Trump began his second term, there has been much talk about another round of stimulus checks sourced from funds freed up by the Department of Government Efficiency through workforce reductions and other cost-cutting measures.
However, such a stimulus check has yet to be officially passed or proposed in Congress, so American taxpayers will have to wait longer to find out whether they will receive a check in 2025.
Here’s the most recent information on DOGE stimulus payments, including when checks can be issued and who is eligible for the dividend.
Latest update about DOGE dividends and refunds
Trump’s efforts to cut budgets and save government funds through DOGE continue to be a source of contention among lawmakers, with some expressing concerns about Musk’s role in the administration and the programs on the chopping block.
However, there has been far less official discussion about the possibility of DOGE payments, despite widespread support among Americans.
Earlier this month, the man who proposed the concept of stimulus checks told NewsNation that he is “optimistic a bill is forthcoming.”
Azoria investment firm CEO James Fishback lobbied X for Musk to issue a stimulus check based on the claimed savings. Elon Musk responded to the post, stating that he would “check with the President.” Since then, Trump and other lawmakers have supported the idea.
Fishback told NewsNation that he has met with House and Senate lawmakers to discuss a bill that would authorize the stimulus checks, which he says will be introduced soon.
Stimulus check payment dates 2025
The stimulus checks from DOGE savings have not been formally approved by Congress.
Until Congress approves a bill authorizing the dividends, which Fishback says is in the works, no checks will be issued, and there is no payment timeline.
Musk has also stated that it may be impossible to save enough money to fund the stimulus checks. If it does happen, it may take longer than anticipated.
Who would be eligible for stimulus check payments?
The initial plan for DOGE stimulus checks indicated that they would be sent to taxpayers.
Fishback’s four-page proposal for a DOGE dividend described it as a refund “sent only to tax-paying householders.” He added that the checks would not cause inflation because they would be “exclusively funded with DOGE-driven savings, unlike COVID stimulus checks, which were deficit-financed.”
According to Fishback’s proposal, dividends would be paid to households with specific income levels.
Fishback appeared on Steve Ram’s podcast in February, where he stated that being employed should be a requirement for receiving the checks.
“Think about it — if you’re a working-age man who is not currently working, and you know there’s a prospect of a DOGE dividend check with your name on it next summer, so long as you get a job and return to the workforce, that’s a powerful motivator,” he told me.
