Second Stimulus Check Calculator - $900 Billion Bill

This calculator was last updated on Jan 5, 2021. We will continually update the tool as new information gets published.

Update December 21, 2020 3:16 PM PST - The calculator now reflects the contents of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, which is a proposal published December 21, 2020 and has a key section called "COVID-related Tax Relief Act of 2020"

Update December 22, 2020 7:12 AM PST - The bill proposal was voted on late last night in two parts and overwhelmingly passed with bipartisan support. The second vote, which included the section on coronavirus stimulus and relief, was passed 359-53.

Update December 23, 2020 - President Trump has called for an increase of the stimulus payment from $600 to $2000. Whether the bill will be amended is to be seen in coming days.

Update December 28, 2020 - President Trump has signed the $600 stimulus bill yesterday. Today the House of Representatives passed a measure to increase the stimulus checks to $2000 per individual and per dependent. We will wait to see if and when the Senate considers and votes on the new measure.

After months of back-and-forth and with the end of 2020 drawing near, US congressional leaders have finally reached an agreement on a new $900 billion stimulus bill on late Sunday afternoon, December 20, 2020, with the vote passing Monday evening. The new bill is a much-needed piece of good news as this week, ending December 26, 2020, is the last one covered by the CARES Act's extended unemployment programs. Over 150 million Americans who benefited from the CARES Act are now waiting their second stimulus check.

While a vaccine is on the horizon, the struggle continues, and it's simply not business as usual yet. Coronavirus cases are still on the rise, hospitals are being overwhelmed again, and a second wave of social distancing regulations and curfew rules are already underway in some states.

Note that this stimulus check calculator does not address every possible exceptional situation. For more information, we encourage you to see our FAQ section to find any additional information on the coronavirus relief package as we know it.

To check how much you're eligible for, all you need to do is fill out a couple of fields:

1. You need to have filed your tax return in 2019. Pick the appropriate option in the calculator.
2. Pick your filing status - either single, married, or head of household (applicable in the case of single parents, for instance).
3. Input the number of child dependents under the age of 17. Unfortunately, just like the CARES Act, only child dependents are eligible for stimulus payments under the proposed bill.
4. Input your AGI (adjusted gross income) - you can find it on your tax form.
5. That's it - the calculator will tell you how much you'll likely receive!

All working Americans (that is, those who filed their last tax return) or those on Social Security will be considered, similar to how they were considered in the CARES Act. Admittedly, not everyone will get financial support, since the amount given depends heavily on your yearly income (use our annual income calculator to determine it).

The actual proposal states that if your status is a "nonresident alien" (that is, someone who has not passed the green card test or the substantial presence test), you would not be eligible for the stimulus check. The bill summary explains that even if you did not file 2019 taxes, you may still be eligible:

"Treasury may issue advance payments for Social Security Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance beneficiaries, Supplemental Security Income recipients, Railroad Retirement Board beneficiaries, and Veterans Administration beneficiaries who did not file 2019 returns based on information provided by the Social Security Administration, the Railroad Retirement Board, and the Veterans Administration."

The authorities will get all the information they need to send the money from your tax return. That means that you don't need to fill out any documents or stand in a long queue. Once calculated, the sum will be transferred to you using the information provided in your tax return. If there is no information for a direct transfer, they will mail you a coronavirus stimulus check. As you might have expected, that option is bound to take longer.

Since we are talking about eligibility criteria for government benefit programs, make sure you check out our MAGI calculator. It can help you determine whether you qualify for tax benefits and government-subsidized health programs.

While the income brackets of the new bill are the same as the previous CARES Act, the amounts you will receive will be different:

1. The more you earn, the less you get. Every American that earns $75,000 a year or less is eligible to receive $600. If you earn more than that, the stimulus check will be proportionally lower (5% or $5 for every $100 of additional income). This means that the benefits will phase out at a lower income than the CARES Act since the base benefit amount is smaller.
2. There's additional money for every child. A married couple or a single parent can obtain an extra $600 for every child dependent under 17 (this is $100 more than the CARES Act's $500 per child dependent).
3. The support for married couples is calculated together. This means that a couple is eligible to receive $1,200 if their total income doesn't exceed twice the number mentioned for a single person, i.e., it is not higher than $150,000. We still add the $600 for every child and again, their checks will be reduced on a sliding scale. If only one spouse has an SSN, the couple will still be eligible for a payment of $600.
4. In special cases, such as being a single parent, the rules are less strict. If you qualify as the "head of household," you are eligible for $600 if you earn up to $112,500. Similarly to the first point, the more you exceed that number, the less you will get.

If you need help in making a decision about a new job offer, our salary to hourly calculator can be of help.

If the new bill gets signed before Christmas, which is highly probable, the checks will be distributed just after the New Year. It means you might be getting one as soon as 15 days from now! Steven Mnuchin also reportedly said that "People are going to see this money at the beginning of next week."

Since it's the IRS that will be distributing the money, people who are already in their database will receive the checks the fastest.