Eligibility for Federal Stimulus Benefits Appears to Be Benign, But When You Peel Away the Onion, a Major Flaw Appears

Background

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government enacted three major pieces of legislation to provide financial relief to individuals and families.  The American Recovery Plan Act (“ARPA”), the most recent legislation, provides the third round of Economic Impact Payments (“EIPs”), also referred to as stimulus payments (and “recovery rebates” in the acts), to millions of Americans.