Completely false information has recently circulated about an alleged $2,600 stimulus payment intended for seniors in the United States. This information, which has circulated on Facebook and, confront rising costs of living and the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
We regret being the bearers of bad news and tell you that this information is totally false. There has been no official announcement or approval of such payment by any government entity in the United States (neither at the federal level nor at the local level in any of the states).
Official Sources Deny Rumors of a Stimulus Check for Seniors
In response to this misinformation, official sources and fact-checking organizations have clarified these hoaxes, which are now more than confirmed to have been fake news created by websites that rely on “clickbait” to attract traffic.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has confirmed that there are no new stimulus payments approved beyond the previously issued Economic Impact Payments. An IRS spokesperson reiterated that all authorized payments have already been distributed and advised the public to rely solely on information on the official IRS website.
The AARP Denies Claims of New Stimulus Checks
Similarly, the AARP, an organization that advocates for older Americans, has confirmed that the rumored $2,600 stimulus payment does not exist. This organization invited older people to seek information from reliable sources and to distrust unfounded claims.
The AARP also noted that this misinformation generally originates from content designed to generate clicks and attract attention, rather than providing truthful information. This type of content is usually produced by automated systems that create attractive headlines and stories without any factual basis.
In fact, some fraudulent websites even claimed that it is AARP itself that would be distributing these supposed $2,600 stimulus checks. Once again, this is false.
Pandemic-Era Stimulus Checks Are No Longer Available
Yes, by 2024 the stimulus checks related to the COVID-19 pandemic have already run out. Stimulus payments, also known as Economic Impact Payments, were issued in several rounds between 2020 and 2021 to help individuals and families cope with economic hardship caused by the pandemic.
During 2020 and 2021, the United States government issued several stimulus checks as part of efforts to alleviate the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Below are the average amounts of these stimulus checks.
First Stimulus Check (CARES Act – March 2020)
- Amount: $1,200 per adult and $500 for each dependent child under 17 years of age.
- Average for a family of four people (two adults and two children): $3,400.
Second Stimulus Check (Consolidated Appropriations Law – December 2020)
- Amount: $600 per adult and $600 for each dependent child under 17 years of age.
- Average for a family of four people (two adults and two children): $2,400.
Third Stimulus Check (American Rescue Plan – March 2021)
- Amount: $1,400 per adult and $1,400 for each dependent, with no age limit.
- Average for a family of four people (two adults and two children): $5,600.
However, no new stimulus payments have been approved since then. The federal government of the United States and the IRS have confirmed that, for now, there are no plans for more stimulus checks and that any information that arises in this regard is false until that changes, or until something of similar proportions to the pandemic happens, which does not seem to be possible on the horizon.