All sorts of social media posts and clickbait headlines have sprung up, but Congress has not authorized any new $1,390 “stimulus” payment at the time of this writing and no such payment has been authorized by the IRS. The long-standing rumors about mailing checks for low- and middle-income Americans later this summer for $1,390 apiece are false. Here is the story itself beginning, what IRS says thus far, and how you can protect yourself from such misforming.
How the rumor spread
In mid-August 2025, a whole bunch of headlines on online outlets declared that the IRS had “confirmed” an end-of-summer $1,390 relief check giveaway, besides debunking old rumors of a separate $2,000 payout. These articles all cited some imaginary bulletin from the IRS that was called IR-2025-75, plus some unnamed Treasury spokesperson. And from there, social media users spread screenshots of these articles to give them credence.
What the IRS actually said
Contrary to rumors going around, the IRS won’t even issue such a bulletin announcing $1,390 payments. All public statements, coupled with material found on the agency’s official website, suggests no mention of a possible relief check outside of normal tax refunds or previously scheduled payments.
Similarly, with the previous forms of misinformation on so-called “fourth stimulus” rounds, the IRS has so clearly stated that all Economic Impact Payments had been made before and that no additional rounds were pending.
Why refuting the $2,000 argument came first
Before tidings confirmed the coming of the $1,390 check, rumors went round about a supposed $2,000 check to come in August 2025. Like the $1,390 rumor, these turned out to be completely false. When speaking with IRS officials, they explained that neither the $2,000 nor the $1,390 payments had any legislative or administrative action behind them. In fact, they are focused on the modernization of their tax-processing system rather than issuing new stimulus checks.
Eligibility for future relief
There have been no new checks agreed upon yet, but historical relief measures provide a model of who Congress might someday pay if additional payments were authorized:
- Individuals filing taxes single whose Adjusted Gross Income does not exceed $75,000 are expected to be eligible.
- Married couples filling jointly with AGI up to $150,000.
- Heads of household whose AGI is capped at $112,500.
People receiving Social Security benefits, SSDI, SSI, and VA benefits also had eligibility to prior rounds without filing returns. However, because no new legislation has been passed, these figures are purely speculative for any future relief and will not convert into any payments imminently.
How to know what is the real IRS statement
Avoid false claims:
- IRS.gov: Always visit the official IRS site under “News & Updates” for news releases.
- “Get My Payment”: If new Economic Impact Payments are authorized, the IRS will update its online portal for tracking any disbursements.
- Don’t open unsolicited links: Phony sites for “Check Status” usually put misinformation into circulation. Such web pages should never receive personal or banking details.
Why these rumors persist
- High public interest in relief: Rising living costs keep Americans on the lookout for any new financial assistance.
- Proliferation of click-driven content: Websites generate ad revenue by publishing speculative articles that attract clicks.
- Social media echo: Once a claim gains traction on major platforms, it can appear credible even without official backing.
There is not going to be any $1,390 relief check issued in late summer 2025. Those rumors pertaining to $1,390 and earlier $2,000 are baseless legislatively and administratively. Until actual relief measures have been enacted by Congress and IRS guidance has been published, such statements should be interpreted as speculation by taxpayers. Always check with IRS.gov or credible news sources before spreading or acting upon rumors of stimulus checks.
Read more: Standard Deduction for seniors over 65 in 2025: how much will it be with IRS increase?
