OHIO — Ohio taxpayers could receive $5,000 checks next summer if a new proposal backed by Elon Musk and the Trump administration is implemented.
The plan, known as the “DOGE Dividend,” would refund 20% of the savings generated by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a quasi-government agency charged with reducing federal spending.
Musk hinted at the idea in a post on X, saying he would “check with the president” about it.
The idea gained traction after Azoria Partners CEO James Fishback publicly pitched it in a four-page letter, requesting that stimulus-style checks be sent to nearly 80 million households nationwide, including millions in Ohio.
“President Trump and Elon Musk should announce a ‘DOGE Dividend’—a tax refund cheque sent to every taxpayer, funded exclusively with a portion of the total savings delivered by DOGE,” Fishback tweeted.
Unlike previous federal stimulus payments, the DOGE Dividend would serve as a refund, distributing only a portion of the savings from government spending cuts.
DOGE has cancelled more than 1,100 federal contracts, saving an estimated $55 billion. However, the plan includes several conditions that may affect Ohioans.
First, checks would not be issued until July 2026, when DOGE is scheduled to complete its work.
Second, only households that paid federal income tax would be eligible, which Fishback believes would encourage workforce participation.
Approximately 79 million households nationwide fit that description, which means that many Ohio families may be eligible.
The proposed $5,000 amount is contingent on achieving $2 trillion in government spending cuts—a goal Musk and President Trump discussed during their campaign.
If DOGE fails to meet that target, checks will be smaller.
The proposal would most likely require congressional approval, but with the midterm elections approaching, Republican lawmakers may be more inclined to support direct payments to voters.
While Trump has yet to publicly support the plan, stimulus checks issued during his and Biden’s administrations remain a contentious issue, with critics blaming them for inflation.
If the DOGE Dividend is approved, it is likely to face strong opposition.
Thousands of federal employees have been laid off as a result of Musk and DOGE’s budget cuts, and Democrats are holding near-daily protests in Washington, D.C.
