Stimulus checks are one-time payments the federal government sends to individuals during economic crises or recessions. Understanding who received payments in past rounds—and why—helps you know what to expect if future stimulus programs are created. This category covers how the government determined who got money, what income and filing status rules applied, and how dependents factored into payment amounts.
The articles here explain the specific requirements from previous stimulus rounds, how to check if you received a payment, and what to do if your payment was incorrect or never arrived. You'll learn how the government used tax records to identify recipients, why some people didn't receive checks even though they had income, and how to report missing or wrong payments to the IRS.