Americans to receive the stimulus funds with Covid Relief Bill

Graphic by Monica McGhee

Kya Mathis
Staff Writer

It has been approximately a year since the world went into lockdown because of the Covid-19 pandemic. America is attempting to get things back to “normal” with several states opening restaurants and retail stores to full capacity in hopes of generating revenue again. Citizens have also begun to receive a third stimulus package to aid in this effort.

President Joe Biden signed the Covid Relief Bill, better known as the Stimulus Relief Package, with $1.9 trillion allotted for checks and vaccines. The majority of the package was designed to be used for utilities and state or local relief.

Eligibility rules have changed since the first and second checks, with new income limitations and rules around age, marital status, citizenship and tax status impacting the status of payments.

Individuals with up to $75,000 in adjusted gross income will get a full payment, as well as heads of household with up to $112,500 and married couples who file jointly with up to $150,000.

The individual payments include up to $1,400 per person, plus $1,400 per child and adult dependents.

Reports also state that unemployed workers will receive $300 in weekly federal payments until Labor Day. Around 18 million Americans are still claiming unemployment insurance.

Colleges and universities are also set to receive $40 billion from the relief package. This is to be used for ‘Student Emergency Financial Aid’, which is classified as funds for housing, meal plans and tuition.

Diana Lester, a freshman biology/pre-pharmacy major from Memphis, Tenn., expressed her excitement about the upcoming package.

“With Covid and all this still going on, I think it can definitely benefit me during college. I think every little bit helps,” said Lester.

Terriel Miller, a junior social work major from New Orleans, La., also looks forward to receiving funds.

“I feel like this third stimulus will benefit me and my family because it will allow us to catch up on bills that weren’t able to be paid because of everything going on. It will also loosen up my stress, because I’ll have more money in my account and be able to live more freely,” Miller stated.

The second disbursement round for those who have not yet received their checks began on March 24. The IRS Get My Payment tool is available to check on the status of the payments and also file 2020 taxes if still needed.