$5,000 Check Update: Eligibility and Status Information

Recently, there has been considerable discussion and inquiries about a potential $5,000 dividend check for Americans and the qualifications for receiving it. Here’s what the original proposer shared on Tuesday regarding the feasibility and current status of the taxpayer refund.

During an interview with Chris Cuomo, James Fishback, CEO of Azoria investment firm, was asked if he thought it would be realized. He confidently responded, “Yes, I genuinely believe it will happen and I possess unique information as I’ve been on the Hill for the past two weeks, engaging with members in both the House and Senate.”

Fishback elaborated that he has received very favorable feedback regarding the DOGE dividend check proposal and claimed, “The support for this initiative is overwhelmingly positive.” He further stated, “I am quite optimistic this will materialize.” He contends that he has the backing of President Donald Trump, dedicated government agent Elon Musk, and economist Kevin Hassett, who directs the National Economic Council.

“70% of government spending is directly sourced from taxpayers,” Fishback stated in the interview. “Thus, when waste, fraud, and abuse occur—leading to misuse of taxpayer funds—it’s essential to provide restitution to those who feel wronged.”

When questioned about prioritizing debt repayment versus refunding taxpayers, Fishback responded, “Would you prefer to return it to diligent taxpayers, who constitute 70% of our expenditures and funding, or send it to Beijing to settle a bill?”

During a rally in Wisconsin last week, Musk indicated that the decision regarding the DOGE dividend check rests with the president and congressional approval to determine if and when his cost-saving strategies would lead to taxpayer refunds.

“As governmental spending becomes more efficient and reduces, so does the tax burden from inflation,” Musk stated at the rally. “Therefore, you will ultimately benefit if American resources are utilized more effectively.” He also mentioned, “While we’ve made significant progress, a substantial amount of work remains.”

Here’s what to understand about the DOGE dividend check:

Trump expressed that he would contemplate the proposal for distributing $5,000 stimulus checks to taxpayers as a ‘DOGE dividend’ back in February. He explained that this would involve utilizing a segment of the 20% savings identified by Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to refund taxpayers.

The concept was initially suggested by Fishback on Musk’s social media platform X, where he proposed that Trump and Musk should introduce a ‘DOGE Dividend’—a tax refund sent to every taxpayer, funded solely by a portion of the savings achieved through DOGE. Musk replied, “I will discuss this with the President.”

In an interview with FOX News’ Bret Baier on March 27, Musk and the DOGE team explored the timeline for reducing the federal deficit by $1 trillion by eliminating wasteful government spending and addressing fraud. DOGE claimed to have saved around $130 billion at that time, estimating savings of about $800 per taxpayer.

Trump has not disclosed any further details regarding the potential ‘DOGE dividend’ or its likelihood of realization.

Fishback’s four-page proposal for the “DOGE dividend” outlines a refund strictly for households that pay federal income tax, differentiating it from past stimulus checks. He emphasized that DOGE dividends would not contribute to inflation since they are “exclusively funded with DOGE-driven savings, unlike COVID stimulus checks which were financed by deficits.”

Fishback’s proposal aims to provide dividends only to households exceeding a specific income threshold, contrasting with pandemic-era checks that were issued “indiscriminately.”

“Numerous low-income households essentially received transfer payments ranging from 25% to 30% of their annual income,” Fishback remarked regarding pandemic stimulus checks, adding, “This would exclusively benefit households that are net-payers of federal income tax, implying they have a lower tendency to spend and a higher tendency to save a payment like the DOGE dividend.”

“I am honored to have the president’s endorsement, but the plan is straightforward,” Fishback stated. “DOGE will save a specific amount of money in the upcoming years. We should allocate 20 percent of that to return directly to the hardworking taxpayers who initially sent it to D.C.”

In essence, a dividend refers to a share of profits distributed by a corporation to its shareholders, while a refund is a reimbursement for payments made by a consumer. In contrast, a stimulus check is intended as a direct payment to stimulate spending and boost the economy by placing money directly into consumers’ hands.

Am I Eligible for the DOGE Check?

The proposed refund would only be distributed to households classified as net-income taxpayers—those who contribute more in taxes than they receive back—meaning lower-income Americans may not qualify for this refund, according to various news sources. The Pew Research Center indicates that the majority of Americans with an adjusted gross income below $40,000 effectively pay no federal income tax.

The DOGE refund check would be granted per household, rather than an individual taxpayer, encompassing those receiving Social Security benefits who meet income tax criteria.

What is DOGE?

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), officially known as the U.S. DOGE Service Temporary Organization, is an initiative created by Trump and spearheaded by special government employee Musk.

The mission of DOGE is to drastically reduce federal spending, deregulate policies, and “modernize federal technology and software to heighten government efficiency and productivity.”

Initially, DOGE aimed to save as much as $2 trillion each year, claiming to have already saved around $140 billion.

Maria Francis is a journalist based in Pennsylvania, affiliated with the Mid-Atlantic Connect Team.