The Senate had a busy weekend, and the bottom line for most Americans is this: Relief payments of $1,400 for individuals and $2,800 for couples might arrive by this weekend, reports CBS News. Senators passed their version of a COVID relief package, and the House—which already passed a version of its own—is expected to give final approval on Tuesday. Then it goes to President Biden's desk, clearing the way for the IRS to start issuing direct deposits within days. Individuals who earn $75,000 or less in gross adjusted income would get the full amount, as would couples who earn $150,000 or less. Eligible taxpayers also would get $1,400 for each dependent, per the Washington Post. The cutoffs for this round are more aggressive, notes CNN: Individuals who earn more than $80,000 and couples who make more than $160,000 would not get payments.
The measure also will include an extension of emergency unemployment benefits—on top of regular state benefits—though the House must reconcile differences between its package and the Senate version. The Senate agreed to keep the weekly federal checks at $300 and extend them through Sept. 6, while the House boosted them to $400 but stopped them at Aug. 29. Federal unemployment benefits are currently set to expire on March 14, and whether individuals see a gap in payments might depend on where they live, notes CNN. One change this time around: Age restrictions on who is considered a dependent have been relaxed, and CNET digs into the details on that. Examples of who might qualify as a dependent: college students, disabled adult children, and elderly parents, per the Post. (More COVID relief bill stories.)
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