Second Stimulus Check (US)
Estimate your second stimulus check under the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2021. Calculate $600 per adult and $600 per child phaseout based on filing status and AGI.
About This Calculator
The Second Stimulus Check Calculator (US) helps you estimate the Economic Impact Payment you were entitled to receive under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, signed into law on December 27, 2020. This $900 billion COVID-19 relief package provided a second round of one-time direct payments to millions of Americans, building on the earlier CARES Act from March 2020.
The second stimulus payment calculation is based on your 2019 or 2018 tax return data. Eligible individuals received $600 ($1,200 for married couples filing jointly) plus $600 per qualifying dependent child under age 17 — an increase from the $500 per child under the CARES Act. The payment phases out at a rate of 5% for adjusted gross income (AGI) above $75,000 for single filers, $112,500 for head of household, and $150,000 for married couples filing jointly. Because the base amount was smaller than the CARES Act's $1,200, the payment phases out at lower income levels: $87,000 for single filers with no dependents, $124,500 for head of household, and $174,000 for married couples.
A key change in the second stimulus was expanded eligibility for mixed-status households — couples where only one spouse had a valid Social Security number became eligible for a $600 payment plus $600 per qualifying child with a valid SSN. Additionally, dependents of any age (including adult dependents and college students) who were previously excluded remained ineligible, but the definition was expanded to cover all dependents claimed on a tax return (though the $600 child payment only applied to children under 17).
This calculator provides an estimate of the second-round stimulus payment only. It does not cover the first stimulus ($1,200 per person under the CARES Act of March 2020) or the third stimulus ($1,400 per person under the March 2021 American Rescue Plan). If you did not receive your full second stimulus payment, you may be eligible to claim the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit on your 2020 tax return.
Regional Notes
United States: The second stimulus check is US-specific legislation under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021. Eligibility required a valid Social Security number, with expanded provisions for mixed-status households. Social Security, SSDI, SSI, Railroad Retirement, and VA beneficiaries automatically qualified without filing a tax return. Non-resident aliens and individuals claimed as dependents on another person's return were ineligible. The IRS used 2019 tax data to determine eligibility and payment amounts.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much was the second stimulus check per person?
The second stimulus check provided $600 per eligible adult ($1,200 for married couples filing jointly) and $600 per qualifying dependent child under age 17. The payment phased out at a rate of 5% for incomes above $75,000 (single), $112,500 (head of household), or $150,000 (married filing jointly).
What was the income limit for the second stimulus check?
Single filers with AGI up to $75,000 received the full $600 payment, phasing out completely at $87,000. Married couples filing jointly with AGI up to $150,000 received the full $1,200, phasing out completely at $174,000. Head of household filers with AGI up to $112,500 received the full amount, phasing out at $124,500.
Who was eligible for the second stimulus check?
US citizens and resident aliens with a valid Social Security number who could not be claimed as a dependent were eligible. Social Security retirement and disability beneficiaries, railroad retirees, SSI recipients, and Veterans Affairs beneficiaries also qualified, even if they did not file a tax return.
Was the second stimulus check taxable?
No, the second Economic Impact Payment was not considered taxable income. It was an advance payment of the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit and did not need to be reported as income. If you did not receive the full amount, you could claim the Recovery Rebate Credit on your 2020 tax return.
How were the second stimulus payments sent out?
The IRS sent payments via direct deposit for those who had provided banking information. Others received paper checks or prepaid debit cards in the mail starting December 29, 2020. Most eligible individuals received payments automatically without needing to take any action.
How did the second stimulus differ from the first CARES Act payment?
The CARES Act (March 2020) provided $1,200 per adult and $500 per child with a $600 weekly unemployment boost. The second stimulus (December 2020) provided $600 per adult and $600 per child with a $300 weekly unemployment boost. The second stimulus also expanded eligibility to certain mixed-status households.
What if only one spouse had a Social Security number?
Under the second stimulus bill, mixed-status households where only one spouse had a valid SSN became eligible for a $600 payment plus $600 per qualifying child with SSNs. This was a change from the CARES Act which generally excluded these households.
When was the second stimulus check signed into law?
The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 was signed into law by President Trump on December 27, 2020. The IRS began sending payments on December 29, 2020, with direct deposits arriving as early as that night and paper checks mailed starting December 30.