Most Americans have received their third stimulus check by now, but with financial hardships still lingering amid the pandemic, many are hoping for the possibility of another stimulus check. At the moment, discussions surrounding a potential fourth stimulus have been limited so far, and as it turns out, your chance of getting a fourth stimulus check may actually depend on one thing. Read on to find out how likely another check might be, and for more on what this payment could look like, This Is How Your Fourth Stimulus Check Would Be Different From the Others.
Getting a fourth stimulus check may depend on how Congress defines "stimulus check."
iStockMany Americans could certainly benefit from getting a fourth stimulus check, but as CNET explains, this may depend on exactly how Congress defines "stimulus check." You could receive more money in 2021, but it may not be delivered in the same way that the last three stimulus checks were. The American Rescue Plan, which President Joe Biden got passed in March, authorized three different payments designed to help those struggling. The most talked about was the one-time $1,400 stimulus checks per person, but it also included a child tax credit for 2021 which sends qualifying families $3,600 for each child younger than six and $3,000 for any child six or older in periodic payments through the end of 2021. It also authorized a monthly federal unemployment check for up to $300 a month until September. So while many experts don't believe that another direct payment to all Americans in the form of a fourth "stimulus check" will occur, Congress could pass a new "stimulus" that will designate more money to certain groups of people. And for more important income news, This Common Mistake Could Delay Your Tax Refund This Year, IRS Says.
Biden's Build Back Better plan may not include individual stimulus checks.
ShutterstockPresident Biden has already started working on another stimulus package, referred to as the Build Back Better plan—which will be the follow-up to his American Rescue Plan. However, this new package is focused on infrastructure. According to CNET, this plan will invest in various infrastructure needs like the nation's energy grid, transportation, broadband and water systems. At the moment, no plan for a fourth direct payment to Americans has been brought up in association with the Build Back Better plan. And for more up-to-date information, sign up for our daily newsletter.
There are several members of Congress pushing for a fourth stimulus check.
iStockDespite experts not being optimistic about a fourth stimulus check, there is push from more than 75 members of Congress. In January, 56 Democrats from the House of Representatives sent President Biden a letter urging him to consider sending recurring stimulus payments. And then at the end of March, 21 Democratic senators joined the fray, sending Biden their own letter urging for this kind of further stimulus payment.
"We urge you to include recurring direct payments and automatic unemployment insurance extensions tied to economic conditions in your Build Back Better long-term economic plan," the senators wrote in their most recent letter. "This crisis is far from over, and families deserve certainty that they can put food on the table and keep a roof over their heads. Families should not be at the mercy of constantly-shifting legislative timelines and ad hoc solutions." And for more on these payments, This Is How You Could Receive More Stimulus Money Right Now.
But it will be hard to pass a fourth stimulus check the way the third check was passed.
ShutterstockIt was already a struggle for Biden to pass his first stimulus package. The American Rescue Plan passed without the vote of a single Republican through a procedure called reconciliation. Democrats currently have control of the U.S. Senate, but they only have 50 votes and a possible tie-breaking vote from the Vice President. Currently, a procedural rule called the filibuster allows senators to object and hold back legislation that does not have 60 votes, meaning Republican opposition can prevent bills from passing, financial company Motley Fool explains on their website. However, the Democratic Party got the American Rescue Plan passed through reconciliation, which allows legislation to be attached to budget bills that can't be filibustered—meaning only 51 votes were required for Biden's first stimulus package. Reconciliation, however, can only be used twice a year. And for more financial guidance, If You Get an Email From the IRS With These 3 Words, Don't Click on It.
