Who was the first president that gave out stimulus checks?

President Barack Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which provided tax relief and financial benefits to roughly 95% of American working families.

Unlike later pandemic-era relief packages, the 2009 stimulus delivered most of its individual financial support through targeted tax credits and automated payroll withholding adjustments rather than large universal checks.

Making Work Pay Tax Credit

• Working Individuals: Single filers with earned income received a refundable tax credit of up to $400 ($800 for married couples filing jointly) for the 2009 and 2010 tax years.
• Income Limits: The credit began to phase out for single filers with a modified adjusted gross income over $75,000 ($150,000 for joint returns) and disappeared completely at $95,000 for singles and $190,000 for couples.
• Delivery: Most workers received this benefit automatically through increased take-home pay via reduced federal income tax withholding by their employers.

One-Time Retiree and Veteran Payments

• Beneficiaries: A direct, one-time payment of $250 was distributed to recipients of Social Security, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Railroad Retirement, and Veterans Disability Compensation benefits.

Additional Targeted Relief Groups

• Unemployed Workers: Individuals who received unemployment benefits in 2009 were eligible for a federal income tax suspension on the first $2,400 of their benefits. It also funded extended emergency unemployment compensation.
• College Students and Families: The American Opportunity Tax Credit provided up to $2,500 per year in tax relief for higher education expenses, available to families making under $90,000 (single) or $180,000 (joint).
• First-Time Homebuyers: Provided a tax credit of up to $8,000 for qualifying first-time home purchases in 2009, which phased out for higher-income buyers starting above $75,000 (single) or $150,000 (joint).

During his first term as president, Donald Trump signed legislation that authorized two rounds of federal COVID-19 stimulus checks.

The Two Rounds of Stimulus Checks

• First Round ($1,200): Authorized under the CARES Act in March 2020, this provided up to $1,200 per eligible adult and $500 per qualifying child.
• Second Round ($600): Authorized in December 2020 under the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, this provided up to $600 per eligible adult and dependent child.

(Note: A third round of stimulus checks—for $1,400—was signed into law in March 2021 by President Joe Biden under the American Rescue Plan, not President Trump.)

Multiple U.S. presidents have signed legislation providing stimulus checks, tax rebates, or direct economic relief to Americans during major economic downturns.

George W. Bush

• 2001: Signed the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act, which issued tax rebate checks of up to $300 for individuals and $600 for married couples.
• 2008: Signed the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 in response to the Great Recession, providing tax rebates generally worth $600 for individuals and $1,200 for couples, plus extra for parents.

Barack Obama

• 2009: Signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which included targeted economic recovery payments and tax credits—such as one-time $250 payments for certain groups like Social Security beneficiaries and veterans.

Donald Trump

• 2020: Signed the CARES Act and subsequent year-end relief legislation, authorizing widespread Economic Impact Payments (stimulus checks) of $1,200 and $600 per eligible adult during the COVID-19 pandemic. Notably, his name appeared on the memo line of physical paper checks sent to millions of Americans.

Joe Biden

• 2021: Signed the American Rescue Plan Act, which authorized a third round of direct economic impact payments of $1,400 per eligible individual.

(Note: While these presidents signed the bills into law, the funds and specific payment amounts were appropriated and authorized through acts passed by Congress.)

Federal stimulus checks (Economic Impact Payments) in response to the COVID-19 pandemic were issued three times.

📅 Breakdown of the Three Rounds

• First Round (Spring 2020)
  • Authorized by: CARES Act
  • Amount: Up to $1,200 per adult + $500 per child.
• Second Round (Late 2020 / Early 2021)
  • Authorized by: Consolidated Appropriations Act
  • Amount: Up to $600 per adult and per child.
• Third Round (Spring 2021)
  • Authorized by: American Rescue Plan Act
  • Amount: Up to $1,400 per person (including dependents).

(Note: Prior to the pandemic, a single round of economic stimulus tax rebates—up to $600 per individual—was also issued under the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 during the Great Recession.)

Federal stimulus checks (Economic Impact Payments) were sent to approximately 165 million eligible individuals across three rounds during the COVID-19 pandemic.

General Eligibility Requirements

• Citizenship/Residency: U.S. citizens or permanent residents with a valid Social Security number.
• Dependents: Individuals who could not be claimed as a dependent on someone else's tax return.
• Income Limits: Full payments generally went to individuals with an adjusted gross income (AGI) up to $75,000 ($150,000 for married couples filing jointly), with phase-outs cutting off payments above higher income caps depending on the specific round.

The Three Rounds

• First Round (2020 - CARES Act): Up to $1,200 per individual ($2,400 for joint filers) plus $500 per qualifying child.
• Second Round (2020/2021): Up to $600 per eligible adult and child.
• Third Round (2021 - American Rescue Plan): Up to $1,400 per eligible individual or $2,800 for joint filers, including all dependents claimed on a tax return.

To check details on past payments or unclaimable amounts like the Recovery Rebate Credit, visit the Internal Revenue Service.