Federal government Stimulus check

People need to understand the federal government's stimulus check is not free money. The stimulus check is your money that you paid in taxes during the 2007 tax year. In addition, my tax preparer informed me that even though taxes will not be taken from the check when you receive it, you will have to claim the entire amount when you file your income tax for the 2008 tax year because it's considered Capital Gains. Therefore, if you're going to spend the check, be sure to save some for your income tax.