---
kind: "section"
citation: "26 U.S.C. § 9034"
title: "26"
title_heading: "Internal Revenue Code"
number: "9034"
heading: "Entitlement of eligible candidates to payments"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/26/9034"
units:
  - "Subtitle H — Financing of Presidential Election Campaigns"
  - "Chapter 96 — Presidential Primary Matching Payment Account"
---

# §9034. Entitlement of eligible candidates to payments

- (a) **In general—** Every [candidate](/usc/26/9002.md?p=2) who is eligible to receive payments under [section 9033](/usc/26/9033.md) is entitled to payments under [section 9037](/usc/26/9037.md) in an amount equal to the amount of each [contribution](/usc/26/9032.md?p=4) received by such [candidate](/usc/26/9002.md?p=2) on or after the beginning of the calendar year immediately preceding the calendar year of the [presidential election](/usc/26/9002.md?p=10) with respect to which such [candidate](/usc/26/9002.md?p=2) is seeking nomination, or by his [authorized committees](/usc/26/9002.md?p=1), disregarding any amount of [contributions](/usc/26/9032.md?p=4) from any person to the extent that the total of the amounts contributed by such person on or after the beginning of such preceding calendar year exceeds $250. For purposes of this subsection and [section 9033(b)](/usc/26/9033.md?p=b), the term “[contribution](/usc/26/9032.md?p=4)” means a gift of money made by a written instrument which identifies the person making the [contribution](/usc/26/9032.md?p=4) by full name and mailing address, but does not include a subscription, loan, advance, or deposit of money, or anything of value or anything described in subparagraph [(B)](/usc/26/9032.md?p=4-B), [(C)](/usc/26/9032.md?p=4-C), or [(D)](/usc/26/9032.md?p=4-D) of section 9032(4).
- (b) **Limitations—** The total amount of payments to which a [candidate](/usc/26/9002.md?p=2) is entitled under [subsection (a)](#a) shall not exceed 50 percent of the expenditure limitation applicable under section 315(b)(1)(A) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 93–443, title IV, § 408(c), Oct. 15, 1974, 88 Stat. 1299; amended Pub. L. 94–283, title III, § 307(b), May 11, 1976, 90 Stat. 501; Pub. L. 110–172, § 11(a)(42)(D), Dec. 29, 2007, 121 Stat. 2488.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

Section 315(b)(1)(A) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, referred to in subsec. (b), is classified to section 30116(b)(1)(A) of Title 52, Voting and Elections.

### Amendments

2007—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 110–172 substituted “section 315(b)(1)(A)” for “section 320(b)(1)(A)”.

1976—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 94–283 substituted “section 320(b)(1)(A) of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971” for “section 608(c)(1)(A) of title 18, United States Code”.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Section applicable with respect to taxable years beginning after Dec. 31, 1974, see section 410(c)(1) of Pub. L. 93–443, set out as an Effective Date of 1974 Amendment note under section 30101 of Title 52, Voting and Elections.