The creator of the proposal to distribute $5,000 “DOGE dividend” stimulus checks to American taxpayers has clarified eligibility for Social Security recipients.
Why It Matters
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is responsible for slashing the administration’s operation costs and has dissected multiple federal agencies in efforts to shrink the size of the government.
James Fishback, CEO of the Azoria investment firm, has proposed using government savings to send $5,000 checks to American taxpayers. Supported by President Donald Trump and his billionaire backer Elon Musk, the plan aims to share a portion of these savings, though it has not yet been finalized.
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What To Know
Amid rising questions about eligibility, the plan’s architect, Fishback, recently addressed concerns regarding Social Security beneficiaries.
A user on X (formerly Twitter) asked Fishback for clarification, writing: “You say a DOGE refund check goes to every tax paying household! What if my wife and I are both taxpayers filing a joint return and currently on Social Security? Would we each receive the refund?”
Fishback responded, saying: “Under our proposal, your household would get the refund.” This clarification indicates that the proposed $5,000 DOGE stimulus would be issued per household, rather than to each individual taxpayer, including those receiving Social Security benefits.
Social Security benefits are not automatically tax-free. According to the IRS, if a taxpayer’s combined income—which includes Social Security, wages, and other income—exceeds certain thresholds, up to 85 percent of their Social Security benefits may be subject to federal income tax. This means some Social Security recipients do pay federal income tax and could qualify for the proposed DOGE stimulus under Fishback’s criteria. However, Fishback’s comments suggest that eligibility depends on filing and paying federal income taxes, rather than simply receiving Social Security benefits.
The idea is not official government policy, though Trump has expressed interest in it.
Meanwhile, Fishback recently said anyone who files a federal income tax return and pays federal income tax would qualify.
“If you file a federal income tax return—if you pay federal income tax, which is to say that you worked—you would receive a DOGE dividend check. That individual and their household would benefit from this payment,” Fishback told Steve Ram on his podcast.
It comes as the DOGE payments face a potential setback as recent fiscal reports reveal that Musk’s department’s expected savings have not materialized.
According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the federal deficit increased by 5 percent in February, driven by a 7 percent rise in spending compared to the same period last year.
The DOGE stimulus initiative proposes allocating 20 percent of the department’s savings to taxpayers and another 20 percent to reduce the national debt. The plan estimates DOGE could save $2 trillion over 18 months, enabling $400 billion to be distributed to approximately 79 million taxpayers—equating to $5,000 checks per recipient.
However, the latest CBO data raises concerns about the feasibility of these savings. In the first five months of Fiscal Year 2025, the federal government borrowed $1.1 trillion, including $308 billion in February alone.
This ongoing borrowing trend casts doubt on the effectiveness of DOGE’s cost-cutting measures and the likelihood of achieving the projected savings necessary to fund the stimulus payments.
A new Quinnipiac University poll released on Thursday shows that a majority of voters believe DOGE’s actions are harming the country. According to the poll, 54 percent of voters think Musk and DOGE are causing harm, while 40 percent believe they are helping.
The poll also reveals a sharp partisan divide—82 percent of Republicans say they are helping the country, while 94 percent of Democrats believe they are causing harm.
What People Are Saying
Donald Trump said at an investment conference in Miami in February: “There’s even under consideration a new concept, where we give 20 percent of the Doge savings to American citizens, and 20 percent goes to paying down debt.”
James Fishback previously told Newsweek: “Long-term this will transform the economy into a lean, free market that allows anyone to work hard, earn a living and pay taxes knowing that they will be spent responsibly, honestly and with maximum efficiency.”
What Happens Next
It is unclear whether Fishback’s proposal will become official government policy or when Americans might receive the checks.