Are We Getting A $600 Tariff Stimulus Check In 2025?

Congress is weighing a bill that would send Americans hundreds of dollars in the form of tariff rebate checks — similar to the pandemic stimulus checks — in potential efforts to soften the financial blow of the administration’s new tariffs.

The current version of the bill promises “at least” $600 for every adult and dependent child. For example, if you’re a family of four, you’d get $2,400. The amounts would phase out for married couples making over $150,000 a year.

The legislation, dubbed the American Worker Rebate Act, was introduced by Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri, in late July 2025, and must be approved by both the Senate and House of Representatives before going to the president.

There are significant obstacles to its passing right now: Sen. Hawley’s fellow Republicans in the Senate are less than enthusiastic about the bill, and several economists have voiced concerns that it won’t provide the relief consumers are looking for amid tariffs.

But while the chances of the bill passing are slim, thinking about where you would put this check — or any unplanned cash infusion — is a smart financial move.

Whether it’s a check sent from the government, a holiday bonus or any other windfall of cash, the first thing you should prioritize when you receive cash outside of your regular earnings is to pay down high-interest debt. (Credit card debt, anyone?)

The reality is that your high-interest debt is eating away at any windfall you may receive.

Let’s say you have $1,000 in credit card debt and you can only afford to make the minimum payment of $28.33 per month. With typical terms and a 22% interest rate, it will take you four years and 10 months to pay the debt off — and you’ll wind up paying $624 in interest alone.

If you were to use a $600 rebate toward that debt, you’ll only owe $400. Paying the minimum on a $400 balance — which would be about $15 per month — would shorten your repayment to three years and one month, and you’d end up only paying $154 in interest alone.

Overall, that would mean you’d save about $470 in credit card interest and you’d cut down your repayment time by nearly two years.

High-yield savings accounts and money market accounts are two types of deposit accounts that allow you to earn interest on your savings without the cash being tied up. Both accounts are easy to withdraw from, so you can get your money in a pinch. Interest rates right now are around 4.00% APY.

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