$1,000 checks to Americans

I see the White House is proposing to send $1,000 checks to Americans as the coronavirus pandemic becomes increasingly dire.  Is it too soon to ask if expats will receive checks too?

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/03/17/politics/coronavirus-response-economic-plan-congress/index.html

That's one way to buy votes.   

Wasn’t that what Democratic hopeful Andrew Yang wanted to do was to give ALL American adults a $1,000/month boost if he was elected?

It didn’t work for him, kfdancer


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It'll also be a good way to help jump-start the economy after it stalls out. (Apparently it did help in the  '08.) Pretty much, as I understand it, the economy stalling is inevitable as things stand. I believe that for every $1 they give a citizen, approximately $1.55 of economic activity is produced down the line. I used to work with a bunch of world-class economists and they tried to explain it to me, back in the day, but I'm hopeless with numbers. What I took away from them was that the govmt gives people the money, they spend the money, either on essentials or on "toys" (non-essentials such as eating out, travel, new clothes, phones, whatever) the supply chain is activated to source/produce/transport/sell those items. That means someone has to be paid to do each of those things. It's kind of like priming the pump on an old-fashioned water pump. You put a little water down the pipe to help seal it so that when you crank on the handle the water will be drawn up.

But you already knew all that, so nevermind.

I wouldn't wish the Covid on anyone. But if there's any silver lining in this at all for me, personally, it will be that any payments I receive will help fund to cost of us getting back home. I now have an irrational desire to just be "home" where everything is familiar. Even if the idiots (who know who they are) are now fueling a run on guns and ammo.

Ok, well, maybe not quite right away. 

I see the White House is proposing to send $1,000 checks to Americans as the coronavirus pandemic becomes increasingly dire.  Is it too soon to ask if expats will receive checks too?

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/03/17/politics/coronavirus-response-economic-plan-congress/index.html

From what I've seen, if you file your taxes electronically or have your refund (if you get one) direct-deposited so that the IRS has a bank account number for you, it will be direct-deposited into your bank account.

Can't tell you where I saw that, though - I've read too much today. But it seems feasible. I seem to remember getting a paper check in the stimulus distribution in the '08, and I was doing electronic tax filing then, but maybe they've got the bugs out of the system? If we ~are~ to get a check, the last thing I'd want is for it to be mailed as a paper copy from the USA to me here overseas!

I wouldn't mind getting a check as opposed to getting nothing, though. I do have the nagging suspicion that we won't get one.

I've heard that the best way for the government to stimulate the economy would be to pay people to bury bottles , each with a $100 bill.  Then you could pay people to dig up the bottles again. 

I'll be looking forward to my check, especially since I'm all up to date with the taxes. 

I've started reading up on this. I'm a bit concerned about its feature as an advance on a tax credit for 2020 (mentioned here https://www.nytimes.com/article/coronavirus-stimulus-package-questions-answers.html). I file my taxes every year and exempt all my income through FEIE. I haven't had a refund since I was last employed in the US (and I'm fine with that).

It seems like if you qualify, which I do, you're getting the stimulus money whether you want it or not. However, I'm worried I'll be on the hook for it come 2021. Right now we're thinking we can throw it into savings and make some pitiful interest on it just in case I'm hit with a bill next year. But if that's not the case I'd rather know sooner rather than later. Might be useful to make some donations before November .

Is there anyone who has a better idea of how this all works and could weigh in? TIA!

I've started reading up on this. I'm a bit concerned about its feature as an advance on a tax credit for 2020 (mentioned here https://www.nytimes.com/article/coronavirus-stimulus-package-questions-answers.html). I file my taxes every year and exempt all my income through FEIE. I haven't had a refund since I was last employed in the US (and I'm fine with that).

It seems like if you qualify, which I do, you're getting the stimulus money whether you want it or not. However, I'm worried I'll be on the hook for it come 2021. Right now we're thinking we can throw it into savings and make some pitiful interest on it just in case I'm hit with a bill next year. But if that's not the case I'd rather know sooner rather than later. Might be useful to make some donations before November .

Is there anyone who has a better idea of how this all works and could weigh in? TIA!

No expert here, but as they are sending the checks to people on social security who do not normally have enough income to pay taxes, I would assume it won't need to be repaid.

See also:  https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/stimulus-check-too-big-too-small-what-to-do-2020-3?r=US&IR=T

https://twocents.lifehacker.com/heres-when-youll-get-your-coronavirus-relief-check-1842652396

We now know when you can expect your coronavirus relief payment to arrive.

Direct deposit will start on April 9, a week sooner than Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin previously anticipated.

There's a full explanation of how much to expect, and when to expect it. (It doesn't say anything about overseas citizens.)

There was something in the NY Times or the Washington Post that indicated overseas citizens would receive the payment. They are usually reliable sources. 

We should know in a fortnight, I guess, for sure?

There's a very good YouTube video on the subject. Highly recommended viewing.