Rumors of new stimulus checks for the month of November have been circulating on social media after US President Donald Trump announced that he would give Americans a $2,000 tariff dividend.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has now confirmed that there are no new federal checks or automatic relief payments for this month. According to a fact-check by KTVU, “No new federal stimulus checks are authorized … Congress has not passed new legislation and the IRS has not confirmed anything.”
Trump promises $2,000 tariff dividend
Earlier this week, Trump took aim at people who criticized the tariffs and promised a dividend of at least $2,000 per person, excluding high-income earners.
In a post on Truth Social, President Donald Trump promised dividends to Americans, saying, “We are receiving trillions of dollars and will soon start paying off our HUGE DEBT, $37 trillion. Record investment in the US, factories and plants everywhere. A dividend of at least $2,000 per person (excluding high earners!) will be paid.”
After the announcement, speculation grew on social media as users discussed the proposed “tariff dividend” plan. This was boosted by the viral contribution and early stimulus efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic, which reportedly caused confusion among recipients.
The comparison to the COVID-19 stimulus came after the report estimated the cost of the tariff dividend. Trump’s proposal to send $2,000 as a tariff dividend to Americans could cost Americans $600 billion each year, according to USA Today, which cited the non-profit Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.
These proposed tariff revenue payments are only proposals at this time, no payments have yet been approved. KTVU Fox warns that many so-called “stimulus alerts” are actually phishing scams. Fake emails or texts asking for bank account information or social security numbers have been circulating. The IRS does not initiate such communications.
What should recipients do?
Recipients should confirm any communication about the IRS incentive through official sources. The safest approach is to rely only on IRS.gov or the US Treasury Department for accurate updates. Filing tax returns and keeping information up to date is essential to ensure eligibility for any payment.
