A post shared on Facebook claims Americans must fill out the 2020 Census to receive coronavirus stimulus payments.

Verdict: False

Eligibility for government benefits, including any coronavirus stimulus payments, is not tied to completing the 2020 Census.

Fact Check:

President Donald Trump signed into law on Friday a bipartisan $2 trillion stimulus package aimed at helping relieve financial burdens to Americans affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

The bill provides $250 billion for direct payments to individuals and families, including a $1,200 payment to single Americans who make less than $75,000 a year, $2,400 payments to families than make under $150,000 and $500 payments for each qualifying child under the age of 17. One post on Facebook claims U.S. citizens must “go to 2020census.gov and fill out this census form so you can get your stimulus check.”

This is incorrect, however. The Census Bureau notes on its website that a person’s answers to the census questions “cannot be used to impact your eligibility for any government benefits, including any potential stimulus package.”

Federal law prevents the Census Bureau from using individual responses for anything other than producing statistics, according to the Census Bureau website. (RELATED: 2020 Census Hoax Claims Robbers Are Posing As ‘Department Of Home Affairs’ Officials)

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has said he expects most people to get their payments within three weeks via direct deposit.

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