Or 2018 if the person had not yet filed. But what they actually were, for tax purposes, is an advance on your potential 2020 federal income tax refund. So if you think you're going to get a refund next year, you might be surprised.

But, as I understand it, you won't have to return any of the $1,200 (or whatever you got) unless you actually are due a refund. So the smart play is to adjust your withholding such that you end up owing a small payment on April 15, and then there's no refund for the IRS to claw back. I mean, that's always the smart play ... but this year more so than most.

The problem with "just give everyone the money" for unemployment, is (1) that's a lot more people than just those who are unemployed, and (2) it's a lot more often than just once. I don't know that a bottomless pit of debt is worth the potential fix for workers who choose to stay unemployed because it pays better.