Stimulus payment December 2025, IRS direct deposit relief payment & tariff dividend fact check

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WASHINGTON – Hold off on that purchase! Online rumors of new stimulus checks by year’s end are out there.

But Congress has not approved any new payments, and the IRS has not confirmed checks in the coming weeks.

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Here’s a quick look at the facts:

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Federal stimulus payments for December 2025?

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What we know:

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The last round of economic impact payments was issued in 2021, and any future checks would require new legislation from Congress.

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In 2024, the Internal Revenue Service announced automatic payments for eligible taxpayers who had not claimed the Recovery Rebate Credit on their 2021 returns. The maximum payment was $1,400 per person.

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No action was required to receive the payments, which were sent by direct deposit or check between December 2024 and January 2025. Recipients were also notified by letter.

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The final chance to claim the $1,400 credit was by filing a 2021 tax return before April 15, 2025. That deadline has passed, with no extensions available.

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READ MORE: IRS direct deposit relief payment in November? Here’s what we know

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Trump $2000 tariff dividend proposals?

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What we know:

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During a cabinet meeting on December 2, President Donald Trump said the U.S. is collecting “trillions of dollars” from tariffs and that this money would be returned to citizens as dividend-style refund checks.

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“Next year is projected to be the largest tax refund season ever, and we’re going to be giving back refunds out of the tariffs,” he said. “We’re going to be giving a nice dividend to the people in addition to reducing debt. We, as you know, inherited a lot of debt, but it’s peanuts compared to the kind of numbers we’re talking about. So, we’re going to be making a dividend to the people.”

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This is not the first time Trump has promised what he calls a generous tariff dividend, first floated in November on his Truth Social platform. He posted that tariffs are generating so much revenue that “a dividend of at least $2000 a person (not including high income people!) will be paid to everyone.”

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Budget experts dismissed the idea, recalling the administration’s short‑lived plan for DOGE dividend checks tied to billionaire Elon Musk’s proposed budget cuts. “The numbers just don’t check out,” said Erica York, vice president of federal tax policy at the nonpartisan Tax Foundation, according to the Associated Press.

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READ MORE: $2000 tariff dividend check update: Trump says dividend refund checks coming in 2026

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Even Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent appeared caught off guard. On ABC’s This Week Sunday last month, he said he had not discussed the dividend with Trump and suggested it might not mean direct checks from the government. Instead, he said, the rebate could take the form of tax cuts.

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FOX 5 also spoke with NOTUS reporter Violet Jira in November about the likelihood of payments. She said it was hard to predict.

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“At the White House press briefing, Karoline Leavitt was asked, is the Trump administration committed to sending these checks to the American people? And their answer was yes,” Jira said. 

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“Since that Truth Social post from Trump, we’ve gotten more details. For example, he said that the checks would be going to middle to low-income people. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent indicated that would be individuals or families who make $100,000 or less,” Jira added. “So we’re getting more details about the plan, but as for whether or not this actually comes to fruition, it’s a bit difficult to tell. There’s a couple of factors at play that have made some people skeptical.”

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READ MORE: $2000 tariff dividend? Here’s what President Trump said about the payments

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Stimulus scams and rumors

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Recurring online claims of $1,702 payments or $1,390 checks can often be tracked back to state-level programs, such as Alaska’s Permanent Fund Dividend, or are scam posts.

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READ MORE: $1702 stimulus payment? Here’s what we know

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IRS stimulus warnings 

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What you can do:

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The IRS is warning taxpayers about fake stimulus payment messages aimed at stealing personal information.

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Here’s how to tell if the IRS is contacting you – or if it’s a scammer.

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• The IRS never makes contact through email, texts, or social media; scammers often use fake accounts or links.
• The IRS begins communication with an official letter or notice, which can be verified through a secure IRS Online Account or customer service.
• Agents may call after sending a notice, but they will not leave threatening, pre-recorded messages or demand payment.
• Private agencies may contact taxpayers only after written notice, and all legitimate collection notices include a matching Taxpayer Authentication Number.
• The IRS has ended most unannounced visits by revenue officers to improve safety for taxpayers and employees.
• More info from the IRS online.

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READ MORE: Stimulus payment November 2025, IRS direct deposit relief payment & tariff dividend fact check

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