Though tariffs are meant to help support the U.S. economy, Americans are certainly feeling the financial impact on their wallets every time they shop. Luckily, relief may be on the way! A recent comment by President Trump has many wondering if they could soon be getting a little extra cash thanks to the success of the tariffs. Keep reading to learn more about the potential rebate checks for 2025, plus what could happen if the rebate becomes a reality.
What are the proposed 2025 tariff rebate checks?
When the tariffs were first introduced, there were concerns that they could cause great financial stress on the U.S. economy. Recent numbers, however, have shown that these import duties have had a positive impact on the country’s budget.
In fact, the Treasury Department reported an unexpected surplus for June, according to NBC News. The tariff revenue totaled $27 billion for the month, which was unexpected. It was a 301 percent increase from June 2024, and even a $4 billion increase from May’s revenue.
With the extra money being made from tariffs, there’s been talk that Americans could eventually see a padding of their own bank accounts.
“We have so much money coming in, we’re thinking about a little rebate,” President Donald Trump told a reporter on July 25. He also added that this rebate would be for those of a certain income level, but provided no further details. It was also not clear whether that rebate would be via a stimulus check or other tax relief.
Will Congress approve a rebate program?
Though this rebate sounds promising, there are certainly some hurdles to it becoming a reality. First, Trump made it clear that the top priority is paying down the national debt. The deficit is currently more than $36 trillion, and it’s only expected to rise.
The “Big Beautiful Bill” that was passed on July 4 could cause this number to increase by $3.4 trillion over the next 10 years, reports CBS News. The many tax cuts and spending provisions included in the legislation mean the debt will almost certainly increase. This may mean the surplus from any tariffs continues to be used to pay that amount down.
There’s also the possibility that Congress would need to give its approval for the rebate to happen. While the Big Beautiful Bill did manage to pass both the House and Senate, this potential financial perk may not get much support from Congress members.
What experts say about inflation risks
The potential rebate could help families and individuals who are struggling with the rising costs linked to the new tariffs. Extra money means that Americans could more comfortably make needed purchases that they were otherwise struggling to buy.
While many people would undoubtedly benefit from the extra money, there could be negative consequences in the long term. Unfortunately, experts predict that the rebate would only increase the economic issues that have already been made worse by the tariffs.
“People will go out and spend some of that money, and that would further put upward pressure on prices and probably magnify inflationary effects,” Joseph Rosenberg, senior fellow at the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center’s tax and income supports division, told NBC News.
When could rebate checks be sent out?
Since these are the first comments that have been made about a tariff rebate check, it’s impossible to know when or if Americans could receive the money. Should the checks become a reality, more details will certainly come out about who would qualify for the rebate.
In the meantime, trade deals with other nations are still in the works. A recent agreement made with the EU, for example, means that the initial 20 percent reciprocal tariff has been lowered to a baseline of 15 percent. Time will tell if there continues to be a surplus with these newly negotiated trade deals.
