Second stimulus check: Trump hints at increase on $1,200 CARES payment

U.S. President Donald Trump has hinted that a second round of stimulus checks for Americans who have lost their jobs due to the ongoing coronavirus crisis could be more than the $1,200 individuals received during the first round of payments under the CARES Act. "It may go higher than that actually," Trump said during an interview with KMID in Texas. "I'd like to see it be very high because I love the people. I want the people to get it." 

Among the provisions laid out in the HEALS Act presented by Senate Republicans this week was another round of stimulus checks for individuals and dependents. 

As with CARES, these will consist of $1,200 for individuals, with more support for families who have adult dependents. The CARES Act only allowed for $500 stimulus checks for dependents under the age of 18. The Democrats have been pushing for dependents to receive the same $1,200 as individual claimants, up to a maximum of three per household. 

The same basic income criteria for the stimulus checks will be in place as under the CARES Act: $1,200 per adult with adjusted gross income up to $75,000, tapering down to zero above $99,000. For married couples filing jointly the threshold is $150,000 tapering down to $198,000. 

Trump eager to see more in stimulus check payments

Although Trump did not elaborate on how much people could expect to receive under the latest stimulus package, the president has expressed his desire to see more money aimed at individuals in line with the HEROES Act proposal, a $3 trillion economic aid package that is on the Democratic side of the negotiating table. 

Republicans and Democrats are currently trying to thrash out a deal before the US Senate goes into recess on 7 August.

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