Short answer: There have been three major rounds of federal stimulus checks in the U.S. (2020–2021) with different amounts, and no new nationwide stimulus payments are planned as of late 2025. Here are the basics behind those payments and the current situation. What counts as “stimulus checks”

• The U.S. federal government issued Economic Impact Payments (EIPs) in three main rounds during the pandemic: first round up to $1,200 per adult, second round up to $600 per adult, and third round up to $1,400 per adult, with qualifying amounts adjusted for income and dependents. The program totaled multiple trillions of dollars in relief across individuals and families.

Amounts by round (approximate, for key eligibility brackets)

• First round ( CARES Act, 2020): up to $1,200 per eligible adult and $500 per qualifying child; phased out for higher incomes.

• Second round (Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020): up to $600 per eligible adult; phased out for higher incomes.

• Third round (American Rescue Plan Act, 2021): up to $1,400 per eligible adult and $1,400 per eligible dependent; phased out at higher incomes.

How the payments were delivered

• The majority of recipients received funds via direct deposit, with others receiving pay-by-card or paper checks as needed.

Current status (as of late 2025)

• There is no nationwide, new federal stimulus payment scheduled or announced for 2025 or 2026. Much of the ongoing discussion around stimulus-like checks relates to state programs, or political proposals, but not an active federal program similar in scope to the 2020–2021 rounds. If a new program were proposed, it would be widely reported and enacted only through new legislation.

Notes and caveats

• Some headlines circulate about individual state programs or pension/benefit adaptations (for example, Alaska’s Permanent Fund Dividend or other targeted relief), but these are not federal stimulus checks and operate under separate state rules. Be wary of phishing or misinformation that ties such programs to federal stimulus.

• The most recent large, broad-based federal stimulus was the third round in 2021; the official deadline to claim the third round’s payments generally tied to 2021–2025 filing windows and outreach, not ongoing disbursement.

If you’d like, I can tailor the information to your situation (income, filing status, dependents) and explain how your potential eligibility would have worked for the three rounds, or check for any current state-level relief programs in your area.