Stimulus check qualifications: Are you eligible to get more money from the IRS?

Negotiations for a new stimulus bill may be ramping up now that the Republican National Convention has officially come to a close. With both sides of the aisle pushing for legislation — but no new action taken yet — what are your chances of getting a second stimulus check and how might the qualifications change?

First, talks must resume before those details can emerge. “We have said to [Republicans], we’re willing to meet you in the middle,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday. On Wednesday, White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows also said he was hopeful that common ground on legislation could be reached.

While we don’t know when another bill could pass, or even when we’ll know more about its contents, we can arrange some puzzle pieces to get an idea of who may or may not qualify. For example, if rules shift, you might not automatically be eligible for another round of stimulus money even if you received the first direct payment. But there is at least one demographic that was bypassed last time that could be included. Keep reading for all the details. This story is frequently updated with new information as the situation evolves.

Second stimulus check: Here’s who might be eligible

While we won’t know for certain who will qualify for a new stimulus payment until legislation is passed, we can draw from the first stimulus check’s eligibility requirements to get an idea of who may or may not get a second check, including the income limits and number of dependents.

Both Republicans and Democrats are using adjusted gross income, or AGI, to determine the payment amount for individuals and families, which would cap at $1,200 for individuals and $2,400 for married couples.

More dependents could qualify for a second payment

The CARES Act took a narrow approach to defining a dependent and allowed a $500 payment only for a child age 16 or younger in the family. The HEALS and Heroes Acts both take a broader definition and allow any dependent you claim to qualify for a payment — college students, children over 17, disabled relatives and taxpayers’ parents.

The Democratic plan as outlined in the Heroes Act would cover $1,200 each, for up to three dependents, so a family of five people could receive a maximum of $6,000. We don’t think this is a likely outcome in the final bill, considering the Senate has not addressed it.

Like the CARES Act, the Republican plan outlined in the HEALS Act would provide $500 for each dependent, but doesn’t specify a cap on the number of dependents.

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Who did not get the first stimulus check

For the payments authorized under the CARES Act, which became law in March, these groups were excluded:

• Single taxpayers with an AGI over $99,000
• Heads of households with an AGI over $136,500
• Married couples with an AGI over $198,000
• Children over 16 and college students under age 24
• Nonresident aliens, as defined by the US government

When will Congress decide on stimulus check requirements?

Right now, the timeline for discussions is up in the air. Talks between Republican and Democratic negotiators on the new stimulus package stalled, but the two sides have signaled they are willing to pick up the debate. The Senate is on break until after Labor Day and the House after passing USPS funding having nothing scheduled. The chances of a deal in August seem unlikely, but an agreement in September is now in the picture. After the sides reach a deal, the stimulus bill won’t take effect until the president signs it into law. 

While we won’t know for sure until the two sides come together on the next stimulus package, we have a good idea of when a check could be sent if a new bill passes.

For more, here’s what we know about the major proposals for a second stimulus package. We also have information on unemployment insurance, what you can do if you’ve lost your job, if you could receive two refund checks from the IRS and what to know about evictions.

Shelby Brown contributed to this report.