Article by David Nitkin, dated 1-25-08, says money is an outright payment.
Nitkin's words
I've been seeking information regarding the details of the 2008 stimulus checks we are to get. I recall the last time this was done there were either repayments required or tax rate adjustments which, in effect, rendered the 2001 stimulus a sham. Given the lack of specific information this time, I was sure the 2008 stimulus checks would also be, as one of Sherlock Holmes' clients expressed about one of Holmes' requests, "a farcical waste of time."
It appears I was incorrect. I hope I was.
The first (and thus far, only) published information I was able to discover was written 1-25-08 by the Baltimore Sun's David Nitkin, the link for which is above. He said:
Most workers - those who will pay at least $600 in federal taxes for 2007 - would receive a $600 rebate if they filed individually and $1,200 if they filed a joint return. Unlike a similar stimulus program in 2001, the money is an outright payment, not an advance or offset against the next year's tax filing.
There was no official quote associated with the assertion, no words from the White House or Congress reassuring the people on the score of possible repayment of the stimulus checks. However if no repayment will be required, I would think those imposing these checks on the American people would trumpet that fact. Absent those horn-tooting, Look-what-we-done-for-y'all -type of press conferences or releases, I remain suspicious.