Fourth Stimulus Check Update: Why New Payments, $7,000 Payouts Aren’t Happening

Many have been hopeful that a surge in new COVID-19 cases thanks to the Delta Variant would mean that the government would send out a fourth round of stimulus checks to Americans, but it appears that a new round of checks is truly not on the horizon—and rumors of a big payment coming soon are all very much false.

While calls for a fourth check have remained strong, with more than 2.8 million Americans signing a petition for more checks and stabilizing payments in recent days, as the Delta variant has led to new surges in cases around the United States and mitigation measures such as encouraging mask use and social distancing are once again put into place. With growing fears that lockdowns could also once again return, the idea of a fourth payment has seemed more like a possibility. Yahoo News reports that the average new cases for the United States were 120,000 a day last week, a number that had not been seen since before the third batch of checks went out in March, making it seem more likely again that another batch of checks could be on its way.

However, while the Biden Administration had previously stated it was open to suggestions when it came to more ideas, and a move was made in Congress to start setting up a process of stabilizing payments when the economy suffered from a crisis has been set in motion for later years, when it comes to a payment that comes sooner, priorities have lied elsewhere. Not only has Congress shifted gears towards the recently passed Infrastructure Bill and another stimulus package that could expand the Child Tax Credit further, no one has actually advocated for another payment that could actually make it a reality.

Of course, while a check isn’t likely coming anytime soon, that hasn’t stopped rumors from floating online that suggest the government is planning on depositing money into bank accounts.

After a prank in July which stated that the government would be sending $2,500 payments in July was proven false, new reports began to circulate which led some to believe that $7,000 payments would be going out as soon as August 19.

NJ.com reports that Google searches were high for terms like “$7,000 stimulus checks Aug. 19” after a report in the U.S. Sun, which seemed to suggest the possibility. It’s unclear where the number came from and if the report blatantly misstated factual information or if something was incorrectly interpreted. Regardless of the report, a check is not being deposited at all on August 19, let alone one for $7,000.

The only current payment some Americans can look forward to outside of any unemployment benefits they may still be receiving is their next Expanded Child Tax Credit, which will arrive in bank accounts for eligible Americans on Sept. 15, marking the third installment of the funds.