Americans have always welcomed stimulus checks—and for good reason. These payments helped many households during hard times like the COVID-19 pandemic, when checks were sent under both President Donald Trump and later, President Joe Biden. Now, there are new rumours of another round of payments, this time linked to billionaire Elon Musk and a plan under something called DOGE.
While no official confirmation has been given yet, the idea of receiving $5,000 stimulus checks under a plan named DOGE Dividends is gaining attention across the country. But what is this all about, and who would qualify?
Let’s break it down.
What Are DOGE Dividends?
DOGE stands for the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a program backed by Elon Musk that aims to cut unnecessary government spending. The idea of DOGE dividends was first proposed by James Fishback, CEO of Azoria Partners.
His proposal is simple: take 20% of the savings from reduced government spending and return it to taxpayers in the form of stimulus checks worth $5,000 for each eligible household.
Originally, the plan aimed to cut $2 trillion from federal spending, which would allow $400 billion to be distributed to around 79 million tax-paying households.
However, new projections have reduced those savings to $150 billion, which may lower the possible check amount.
Is Elon Musk Really Involved?
Yes, Musk has shown interest. He even replied to Fishback on his platform X (formerly Twitter), saying he would discuss the proposal with President Donald Trump.
But since April 2025, there have been no further public updates from Musk, and the actual status of the plan remains unclear.
Who Would Get the DOGE Dividends?
Here’s where it gets controversial. Not everyone would qualify.
According to the plan, the checks would go to households that pay net federal income taxes, meaning people who pay more in taxes than they receive in credits.
That excludes:
- Many low-income families
- Households earning less than $40,000 per year, who generally get more back in tax credits than they pay
In short, DOGE dividends may only benefit middle- and high-income taxpayers. This makes it very different from previous stimulus checks, which were more focused on low and middle-income families.
Will DOGE Dividends Cause Inflation?
Fishback insists that this plan won’t cause inflation because it’s not funded by printing new money, unlike the COVID-19 stimulus checks.
But not everyone agrees. Joseph Camberato, CEO of National Business Capital, warned that even a one-time large payout adds extra cash into the economy. That extra money can still drive up prices, especially in sectors like housing or consumer goods.