A $1,390 IRS direct deposit rumor has once again surfaced online, causing some Americans to question whether a new federal relief payment has been deposited into their bank accounts.
It has not. The IRS is not issuing a new $1,390 federal stimulus check. The last federal Economic Impact Payments were connected to the pandemic, while the deadline to claim the final Recovery Rebate Credit ended on April 15, 2025.
The proposed $2,000 tariff dividend is a separate matter. President Donald Trump has suggested giving Americans payments funded by tariff revenue, but the proposal is not an approved federal payment program.
Why the $1,390 IRS payment rumor keeps coming back
The $1,390 amount does not come from a new IRS stimulus program. Federal payment rumors often resurface by mixing together older programs, proposed rebates and unrelated tax benefits. They can appear legitimate because they frequently use familiar terms such as “IRS,” “direct deposit,” “stimulus” and “relief payment.”
The pandemic-era stimulus program also left many Americans expecting another payment whenever economic uncertainty or rising prices become concerns.
That expectation has made claims about relief checks especially easy to spread across social media.
The IRS has repeatedly warned taxpayers about stimulus-check scams. The agency has also confirmed that the Recovery Rebate Credit has expired.
If someone receives a message claiming a $1,390 payment is waiting, they should not start by clicking the included link. Instead, they should verify the information directly through the IRS and other official government websites.
The last federal stimulus deadline has already passed
The final federal stimulus-related opportunity involved the Recovery Rebate Credit. It was tied to the third round of Economic Impact Payments sent in 2021. Eligible taxpayers who had not received the full amount could claim the credit on their tax return.
That opportunity has now ended. The deadline was April 15, 2025. The IRS said roughly 1 million taxpayers who had not previously claimed eligible payments received checks through a separate effort.
What about Trump’s proposed $2,000 tariff dividend?
The proposed tariff dividend is separate from the previous stimulus payments. Trump has suggested using tariff revenue to make payments to Americans. On Nov. 9, he said on Truth Social that a dividend of at least $2,000 per person would be paid, excluding high-income people.
The statement quickly drew attention because it appeared to describe a new nationwide payment program.
However, the information provided by the administration did not settle the practical details. Officials had not confirmed how the program would operate, who would be eligible, how it would be financed or when payments might begin.
A presidential proposal for a payment is therefore different from an IRS payment that taxpayers can currently claim.
Why a tariff dividend would work differently from a tax refund
A payment financed through tariffs would have a different financial basis than a standard tax refund.
A tax refund typically returns money associated with a taxpayer’s federal income-tax account. A tariff dividend, under the proposal, would instead be tied to revenue generated through tariffs.
That distinction would affect how the program operates.
Congressional authority, eligibility requirements, payment amounts and the funding source would all play a role. The government would also need a system to distribute the funds.
What happened to the proposed DOGE dividend?
Another proposed payment has also disappeared from the spotlight. During the creation of the Department of Government Efficiency, officials discussed a possible “DOGE dividend.” The proposal involved returning part of the government’s savings to Americans.
The idea was linked to an ambitious estimate of $2 trillion in potential savings.
That estimate did not result in $5,000 checks.
The savings figure later cited was considerably lower, at around $214 billion, and no confirmed federal program began distributing dividend checks based on those savings.
Could Americans still receive relief payments from their states?
People should distinguish federal stimulus rumors from state-level relief programs.
States operate their own tax systems and can establish separate rebates or payments. Each program may come with its own eligibility requirements, payment amounts and deadlines.
For example, New York launched a one-time refund program for eligible residents who had paid higher sales taxes connected to inflation. Residents who filed a 2023 state income-tax return could qualify, and the state said eligible taxpayers did not need to submit a separate application.
Other states, including California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia and New Jersey, have also introduced or considered different forms of relief.
How to spot a fake IRS payment message
The warning signs are usually straightforward. People should be cautious when a text or email tells them to click a link to “claim” a government payment, requests banking information or asks for a processing fee.
The IRS generally contacts taxpayers primarily by mail. It does not ask people to provide banking information through unsolicited messages to receive a supposed stimulus payment.
Scammers understand that promises of incoming money can create urgency. A message claiming that a payment is waiting may encourage people to act before verifying whether the program actually exists.
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