There may have been reports in the news or online that you could get a “DOGE dividends check this week.” Does it really sound like the government wants to give people back thousands of dollars? The thing is making waves, jokes, and even hopes… But what is the truth about all of this? Let’s talk about what you know, what you don’t know, and the secrets that might change the way you see things. Don’t give away any more of the story just yet; it’s about to get interesting.
Interesting numbers are going around: $5,000 per family, with payments “covered by mystery savings.” This is supposed to stop inflation… Doesn’t it sound almost too good to be true? Like many things these days, it all began with a tweet. James Fishback, CEO of an investment company, told Elon Musk and Donald Trump about an idea in February: Why not send checks to people with money saved by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)? Musk’s answer, which was typical of him, was vague: “I will talk to the president.” And that’s where the noise began.
What did Musk really say about DOGE payments, which are like checks for money?
Someone asked him specifically, “Are we going to see those DOGE checks or not?” not long ago in Wisconsin. Musk’s answer was… well, typical of him. Not either yes or no. He said that Congress and the president would decide if the payments are made. However, he promised that the economy would get better “in one way or another” if government spending was cut. To put it another way, he said, “Trust the process. The savings will help us even if we don’t get a check.” Positive? Yes. Hard stuff? Not at all.
This is an important element that many people miss. Many experts blame the fact that the pandemic stimulus packages were paid for with debt (basically making money) for the inflation that followed. Fishback is adamant that the DOGE Dividend would be different because it would only use money that has already been saved and not add to the debt. Also, not everyone would like it. People who pay more in taxes than they get in benefits would be the only ones to get money from his plan. That is, if you have a low income and don’t pay federal taxes, you probably don’t qualify.
Who would want to join the club that gets a $5,000 stimulus check?
The goal is for the return to reach “net taxpayers,” or people who owe the IRS more money than they get back. Almost half of Americans do not pay federal taxes because their gross income is less than $40,000. Don’t expect a surprise envelope if you’re in that group. But if you are middle- or upper-class, you might get a payment for your whole family instead of just one person. Even retirees who still pay taxes would be on the list.
In front of the press, President Trump said that he would “consider” the idea, but there has been no word from him since then. A few weeks ago, Fishback said that he was “optimistic” that a bill would be presented soon. His talks with lawmakers are moving forward, but until there is a formal contract, everything is still just a promise, according to him.
Musk made it clear that DOGE will keep looking for ways to save money, but the problem of checks depends on how politics work. Since elections are coming up soon, it’s hard to say if people will want to accept a dividend. In addition, the 20% return is not a given, even if the $1 billion in cuts are made. Musk said that the project has made “advances,” but there isn’t any good news yet.
