President Joe Biden's $1.9 trillion stimulus plan, which includes sending $1,400 bailout checks to most Americans, has met with resistance from Senate moderates, including some Democrats, leaving the specifics of who (and when) will be eligible for future direct payments up in the air In.

The original White House plan was to provide $1,400 stimulus checks to the same low- and moderate-income Americans who received up to $600 each from the bailout passed late last year. However, bipartisan opposition to the total cost of the bill may cause the administration to consider limiting who is eligible for the payments.

"Certainly, if there are ways to make that provision or other provisions more effective, that's something we're open to, and we'll have conversations about," National Economic Council Director Brian Dees said Tuesday (January 26).

Biden himself said Monday (January 25) that he would be "open to such negotiations" if there was a possibility of gaining broader support.

One possibility is for the government to lower the eligibility cap for stimulus checks. Some individuals and families who received bailout funds under the CARES Act last March and again in recent weeks may not be eligible to receive further funds.

The $900 billion bill passed by Congress in December provided $600 stimulus checks to those earning up to $75,000 and a prorated amount to those earning up to $87,000. (Couples filing jointly received $150,000 and $174,000, respectively.)

According to recent data from the Opportunity Insights Economic Tracker, a nonprofit research organization, households earning more than $78,000 were This is because lower-income households are more likely to save rather than spend the stimulus money. This suggests that lower-income households need the funds to pay their bills, while higher-income households do not.

The analysis also found that it would cost $200 billion to send checks again to individuals making over $50,000 and couples making over $75,000, but only 7% of the checks, or $15 billion, would be spent by those receiving them.

While there are no formal proposals to limit eligibility for the stimulus package, doing so may be one cost-saving option. If your personal income was $50,000 or more at the time of your last tax return, you may not qualify for the next stimulus package.

Meanwhile, some progressive legislators are urging the Biden administration to consider distributing the stimulus package in monthly checks rather than in a lump sum.

Fifty-three House Democrats, including Representatives Iran Omar (R-Minnesota) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (R-New York), sent a letter to the White House this week supporting the recurring payments. The letter did not specify an amount, but some of the same lawmakers had previously requested a new round of stimulus payments of $2,000.

Again, eligibility requirements were not defined. However, the group has suggested that "all migrant workers, refugees, and their families" be included. Individuals who are not legally allowed to work in the U.S. have not been eligible for the stimulus package so far.