Stimulus Payment December 2025: What to Know About Trump’s Tariff Dividend

TLDR

• Congress has not authorized new stimulus payments for December 2025, and no IRS deposits are scheduled.
• The final $1,400 Recovery Rebate Credit payments ended in January 2025, with the April 15, 2025 filing deadline now closed.
• Trump announced a $2,000 tariff dividend proposal on December 2, claiming tariff revenues would fund citizen refund checks.
• The American Worker Rebate Act of 2025 proposes $600 per adult and $600 per dependent but has not passed Congress.
• Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent expressed uncertainty about the tariff dividend, suggesting it might be tax cuts rather than direct payments.

Online speculation about December 2025 stimulus checks has created confusion for millions of Americans. Despite widespread rumors, no new federal stimulus payments have been approved by Congress.

The IRS has not confirmed any checks or direct deposits for the coming weeks. Search traffic has surged as people look for information about potential payments.

The confusion comes from mixing past programs with new proposals. The last federal stimulus payments were part of the Recovery Rebate Credit program.

Those checks went out between December 2024 and January 2025. Eligible taxpayers received up to $1,400 per person.

The payments were automatic for people who hadn’t claimed the credit on their 2021 tax returns. No applications were needed, and recipients got mail notifications.

That program ended completely on April 15, 2025. The filing deadline has passed with no extensions available.

Trump Proposes Tariff-Funded Payments

President Trump discussed a new payment plan during a December 2 cabinet meeting. He claimed the U.S. is collecting trillions of dollars from tariffs.

Trump said this money would be returned to Americans as dividend-style refund checks. He described next year as the largest tax refund season ever.

The president first mentioned this idea in November on Truth Social. He wrote that tariffs could fund a dividend of at least $2,000 per person.

High-income earners would not receive the payments. Trump suggested the checks would go to middle and low-income Americans.

Budget experts quickly pushed back on the proposal. Erica York from the Tax Foundation told reporters the numbers don’t add up.

She compared it to the short-lived DOGE dividend plan tied to Elon Musk’s budget cuts. That proposal also failed to materialize.

Treasury Secretary Questions Payment Method

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent appeared surprised by the announcement. He told ABC’s This Week in November that he hadn’t discussed the dividend with Trump.

Bessent suggested the rebate might not come as direct checks. He said it could take the form of tax cuts instead.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt later confirmed the administration’s commitment. She said checks would target individuals and families making $100,000 or less.

Details continue to emerge about the plan. However, questions remain about whether it will actually happen.

Congressional Bill Remains Stalled

The American Worker Rebate Act of 2025 is related to Trump’s proposal. The bill would provide at least $600 per eligible adult.

Families would receive an additional $600 per dependent child. A family of four could get up to $2,400 with income limits.

The legislation has not passed Congress yet. No payment schedule or timeline exists for the bill.

Without Congressional approval, the IRS cannot issue any payments. There is no authority to send federal money without new legislation.

Some officials suggested payments might come in mid-2026. That timeline depends entirely on passing new laws.

Scam Warnings Increase

The IRS is warning Americans about fake stimulus messages. Scammers are exploiting confusion to steal personal information.

The IRS never contacts people through email, text messages, or social media. Official communication always comes by mail first.

Messages claiming “Claim your December stimulus” or requesting bank details are fraudulent. The IRS does not ask for login credentials or identity verification through digital channels.

Americans should verify any payment information through IRS.gov or official government sources. No new stimulus check portal, enrollment form, or deposit schedule currently exists.

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