What is the government stimulus payment?

Updated March, 2021

As a result of the country’s economic downturn during the coronavirus outbreak, the U.S. government has issued stimulus checks to qualified taxpayers. Officially called Economic Impact Payments, three different payments have been made to qualified Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic:

• First Round
  $1,200 payments for qualified individuals were signed into law by President Trump as part of the CARES Act on March 27, 2020.
• Second Round
  $600 payments for qualified individuals were signed into law by President Trump in December, 2020, within the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021.
• Third Round
  $1,400 payments for qualified individuals are a part of the American Rescue Plan, which was signed into law by President Biden on March 11, 2021.

The payment by the government will be made either by direct deposit, or a physical check, depending on the information you provided to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

More information about the government stimulus payment can be found here:

• Who qualifies for the government stimulus payment?
• How much will I get from the government stimulus payment?
• How do I get the government stimulus payment?
• How do I give my direct deposit information to get my government stimulus check?
• When will I get the government stimulus payment?
• Will I have to pay back the government stimulus payment that I get?