Second stimulus check: How many checks have been mailed?
As Congress finalizes discussing the final stimulus relief package amid the coronavirus pandemic, the IRS prepares to send a second round of payments.
Back in March, when the coronavirus pandemic started in the United States and the economy shut down, President Donald Trump signed the CARES Act, that among other measures, it sent a direct payment of $1,200 to millions of Americans. Since then the IRS has sent 160 million stimulus checks to those who qualify under the bill.
As the month of July ends, Congress is working on the fourth and final stimulus relief package that would include a second round of stimulus checks to millions of Americans who qualify under CARES 2. This new bill should be approved by the end of this week and the IRS could start sending the second payment as soon as next month.
“Our proposal is the exact same provision as last time,” Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told reporters Thursday as he and congressional Republicans work to finalize a series of stimulus bills that will form the counteroffer to a plan from Democrats.
The IRS will be using the same parameters as the first round of stimulus payments. This means that people will get it directly in their bank account or through debit cards that they will assign for those who don’t have bank information. The IRS prioritized getting direct deposit information for households earlier this year, so the agency could deliver millions of electronic payments and not be slowed down by mailing paper checks.