As the new year drags on, with concerns ranging from grocery bills and housing costs to other factors worrying Americans, a financial boon from the government would surely be welcomed by many.

Since returning to the White House for his second term, President Donald Trump has repeatedly proposed a stimulus or tax rebate for the majority of Americans—regarding it as a way to mark what he sees as his Administration’s economic successes. Trump has cited his tariffs as the reason for this idea, claiming that the funds raised from the controversial levies can be returned to the American people, specifically those from “middle and lower-income” households.

In a defiant post defending his tariffs against ongoing criticism and legal challenges, Trump in November stated that those opposed to his tariffs are “fools” and that many Americans would soon benefit from the tariffs.

“We are now the richest, most respected country in the world. We are taking in trillions of dollars and will soon start paying down our massive debt… Record investment in the USA, with plants and factories springing up everywhere,” Trump said via Truth Social. “A dividend of at least $2000 per person (excluding high-income individuals) will be paid to everyone.” The President did not define his notion of “high-income.”

Trump doubled down on the idea of Americans soon seeing financial returns during his Christmas address at the White House, boasting that 2026 would be “the largest tax refund season in history.”

But what is the status of the dividend, and is there a detailed plan to make these payments a reality? Here’s what you need to know.

The status of the proposed $2,000 payments

On Monday, a White House official told TIME that, in light of the revenue generated by tariffs, the Administration remains “committed to putting this windfall to good use for the American people and continues to explore all options.”

This update echoes the sparse statements made by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt in November. When briefing the media on the status of the dividend, she stated that although no timeline is in place, “the President has made it clear he wants to make this happen, so his team of economic advisors is looking into it.”

Adding to the vagueness of the dividend proposal, Bessent said in an interview last year that the payment could come “in many forms.”

“It could be simply the tax cuts we’re seeing on the President’s agenda. No tax on tips, no tax on overtime, no tax on Social Security, and deductibility of auto loans,” Bessent told ABC News in November.

Furthermore, in late December, when asked if Americans could expect to receive the $2,000 check in 2026, the White House National Economic Council director said it all depends on “what happens with Congress.”

“Congress will have to send that money to those people,” he told CBS. “I expect that in the new year, the President will put forward a proposal to Congress to make this happen.”

As of early January, no action plan has been made public.

Experts raise concerns about potential challenges

If the payment were to go to low and middle-income Americans, this could include over 80% of the total U.S. population (more than ), according to a 2024 study.

Financial experts have repeatedly raised logistical concerns about the magnitude of the payment and how it would be implemented.

“I don’t think it’s very feasible, as legislators would have significant concerns about its cost,” Ryan Cummings, chief of staff at the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research, told TIME, arguing that the President can’t “unilaterally decide to give away .”

“Taxation is one component, and spending is another, separated by legislation. You can’t just tax people and then use that to give to others again without legislative approval.”

For the stimulus checks to become a reality, Republicans in Congress would need to approve the policy.

Aside from the legal complexities, experts question Trump’s proposal, noting that the total cost of the stimulus checks would likely exceed the amount raised by the tariffs.

There’s also the ongoing uncertainty regarding the tariffs themselves—and the legal challenges they face, Cummings notes. The Supreme Court is hearing cases on whether Trump’s use of an emergency law to impose tariffs without Congressional approval was legal. The Court is issuing rulings on Friday in some cases, but it hasn’t revealed which ones yet.

Should the Trump Administration lose the case, there’s a possibility the Administration would have to refund the tariffs to importers, thus reducing the likelihood of Americans seeing the promised dividends.

And if the Trump Administration backs away from the possibility of a $2,000 check, Cummings predicts there could be consequences.

“Trump has hurt himself a lot by over-promising and under-delivering,” he said, citing the affordability crisis as an example. “Many people actually change their economic behavior if they expect a check. So if that $2,000 doesn’t materialize, I think people will be very frustrated.”