President Biden changes eligibility to receive stimulus payments of $1,400

DORAL, FL – The rules to receive the stimulus payments of $1,400 changed due to a new agreement  reached on Wednesday between President Biden and Senate Democratic leadership that would leave out higher-income people.

Payments, that are contemplated under the $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill, will now be sent only to individuals earning under $75,000 per year and couples earning under $150,000. Both will access the full $1,400 per person benefit, reported the Washington Post.

Those earning more than $80,000 per year and couples earning more than $160,000 will not be able to receive neither partial or full payment under the new agreement. According to the previous plan, individuals making up to $100,000 per year and couples making up to $200,000 per year would receive a partial payment of less than $1,400 per person.

But now singles earning between $80,000 and $100,000, as well as couples earning between $160,000 and $200,000 are completely left out of the benefit. 

“Further ‘targeting’ or ‘tightening’ eligibility means taking survival checks away from millions of families who got them last time,” said Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, to the Washington Post. 

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), on the other hand, was in favor of changing the eligibility levels for the stimulus payments. “I think we could drop it below the $200,000 and still get households that really need it,” she said to the media. 

The agreement reached on Wednesday will leave the weekly unemployment benefit intact at $400, despite the fact that moderate democrats wanted to reduce it to $300 a week.

Biden has made the stimulus package his top legislative priority as he begins his plans to fight the economic impact caused by the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed half a million Americans and keeps about 10 million people unemployed, reported Univision 23.

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