How this calculator works
The HEROES Act was a House Democratic proposal passed in May 2020 and never enacted. It would have paid a second round of $1,200 per eligible adult, $2,400 for a married couple filing jointly and $1,200 per dependent, counting at most three dependents per household. Dependents of any age would have qualified, including college students and adult relatives. Because the dependent amount matched the adult amount and the count was capped at three, the largest possible household payment was $6,000, reached by a joint filer with three or more dependents. The phase-out followed the first-round structure: $5 of payment lost for every $100 of adjusted gross income above $75,000 for single filers, $112,500 for heads of household or $150,000 for joint filers. For a childless filer the payment reaches zero at $99,000 single or $198,000 joint. This calculator estimates what the proposal would have paid, not what anyone received.
Formula
Counted dependents = min(dependents, 3). Base = adult amount + $1,200 x counted dependents, where the adult amount is $1,200 for single and head of household or $2,400 for joint filers. Payment = base - 5% x max(0, income - threshold), never below zero. Threshold = $75,000 single, $112,500 head of household or $150,000 joint. Zero is reached at threshold + base / 0.05.
Worked example
A joint filer with three dependents and $140,000 of income has a base of $2,400 + $3,600 = $6,000 and is below the $150,000 threshold, so the payment is $6,000. A single filer with five dependents and $70,000 of income counts only three dependents, so the base is $4,800 and the payment is $4,800. At $85,000 the same single filer would have $10,000 of excess income, a $500 reduction and a payment of $4,300.
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Frequently asked questions
Did the HEROES Act become law?
No. It passed the House in May 2020 but was not taken up by the Senate. The second round that became law in December 2020 paid $600 per adult and $600 per child under 17.
Why is the maximum $6,000?
The dependent amount of $1,200 matched the adult amount, and at most three dependents counted. A joint filer with three or more dependents reached $2,400 + $3,600 = $6,000. A single filer with three dependents reached $4,800, because there is only one adult amount.
How did HEROES compare with HEALS?
Both paid $1,200 per adult. HEROES paid $1,200 per dependent but counted at most three; HEALS paid $500 per dependent with no cap. A family with one or two children did better under HEROES, while a family with four or more could do better under HEALS.
Is this calculator still relevant?
As a historical comparison, yes. It shows how the competing 2020 proposals differed. It does not describe any payment available today.