The USPS has finalized an agreement with Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency focused on aiding the struggling agency.
Are you still waiting for the $5,000 DOGE dividend check, or will the amount be different? Here’s an update on the status of the stimulus and information about eligibility. Will it be issued per individual or per household? Here’s what you should know.
Last month, President Donald Trump mentioned he would consider a proposal to issue $5,000 stimulus checks to taxpayers as a ‘DOGE dividend.’ This would involve allocating 20% of the savings identified by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) back to American taxpayers.
The concept of a “DOGE dividend” was initially suggested by James Fishback, CEO of Azoria investment firm, on Elon Musk’s social media platform, X. He proposed that Trump and Musk announce a ‘DOGE Dividend’—a tax rebate check to be sent to every taxpayer, funded only through the savings attributed to DOGE. Musk responded by saying he would discuss it with the President.
In a recent conversation with NewsNation, Fishback expressed optimism that legislation aligned with President Trump’s vision for DOGE would soon be introduced, stating, “It’s crucial not just to uncover waste and fraud; we must also refund taxpayers for their hard-earned money when it has been wasted or misused, which is the essence of the DOGE dividend.”
Fishback characterized his discussions with lawmakers in both the House and Senate as “very productive,” indicating that a plan might be ready for announcement shortly.
Currently, there have been no further details disclosed by Trump regarding the potential ‘DOGE dividend’ or its likelihood of being implemented.
Fishback’s four-page proposal for the ‘DOGE dividend’ indicates that it would be a refund sent “only to tax-paying households.” He emphasized that unlike previous stimulus payments, DOGE payments would not contribute to inflation since they would be “funded exclusively through DOGE-derived savings, contrasting with COVID stimulus checks which increased the deficit.”
Under Fishback’s proposal, the dividends would be allocated only to households above a designated income threshold, as opposed to the universal distribution of pandemic-era payments.
“Many low-income households received pandemic stimulus payments that constituted 25% to 30% of their total annual income,” Fishback remarked, adding, “These payments would only go to households that are net payers of federal income tax, meaning they typically have a lower tendency to spend and a higher propensity to save a payment like the DOGE dividend.”
“I appreciate the president’s support, but the plan is straightforward,” Fishback noted. “DOGE will save a specified amount over the coming years. Let’s return 20% of those savings to the hardworking taxpayers who contributed it to the government in the first place.”
In financial terms, a dividend is a distribution of profits by a corporation to its shareholders, while a refund is a reimbursement to a user who previously made a payment. In contrast, a stimulus check is a direct payment intended to promote spending and invigorate the economy by putting cash directly into consumers’ hands.
Who would qualify for the DOGE dividend?
The proposed refund would only target households led by net income taxpayers—individuals who pay more in taxes than they receive back—excluding lower-income Americans who wouldn’t meet the return criteria, as indicated by news reports. The Pew Research Center notes that most Americans with an adjusted gross income under $40,000 effectively pay no federal income tax.
The proposed DOGE refund checks would be issued per household, rather than per individual taxpayer, which includes those receiving Social Security benefits eligible under the income tax criteria.
Musk ramps up DOGE as Tesla stock tanks, backlash grows
On March 10, Tesla’s stock experienced a drop of approximately 15%. Nonetheless, CEO Elon Musk is determined to continue his work in U.S. governance.
What is DOGE?
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is officially known as the U.S. DOGE Service Temporary Organization, an initiative launched by Trump and led by special government employee Musk.
The objective of DOGE is to reduce federal expenditure, eliminate regulations, and “modernize federal technology and software to enhance governmental efficiency and productivity.”
Initially, DOGE aimed to save up to $2 trillion annually, asserting it has already saved $115 billion.
Maria Francis is a journalist based in Pennsylvania with the Mid-Atlantic Connect Team.
