From new stimulus check payments going out in California to a gas tax rebate that’s been proposed in the Golden State — as well as $500 payments going out to essential workers in Massachusetts, among other examples — there’s a surprising flurry of stimulus-related news unfolding right now.
“Surprising,” because as we all know by now the federal government punted on an opportunity to renew the monthly child tax credit checks this year. However, don’t forget that the second half of last year’s expanded child tax credit benefit is, in fact, coming right about now. If you got those checks last year, you’ll also claim a companion amount on your federal income tax return this year to reduce your overall tax obligation.
With that out of the way, here’s a look at the actual stimulus checks that are coming now. For only some people, though. And in specific parts of the country.
New stimulus check update
We’ll start with Golden State Stimulus payments out of California.
According to one news report, almost 62,000 of these started going out in recent days. The stimulus checks under the Golden State Stimulus I and II programs last year totaled $1,200 and $1,100, respectively. And while the deadline to apply for them has passed, most of the new payments are reportedly going out to filers with amended non-resident state income tax returns.
Also, a subset of these new checks is going out to people who applied for an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) by October 15. And who filed a state tax return ahead of the February 15 deadline.
Other payments scheduled and proposed
Speaking of California, its governor Gavin Newsom has also proposed an all-new series of new stimulus checks. And they’re related to the record-high price of gas in the state.
Here’s his proposal. Every owner of a vehicle registered in California would be eligible for a $400 rebate to offset the pain at the pump. With the money coming in the form of a debit card, as soon as July — if, that is, the proposal ends up passing muster with the state legislature. Moreover, the payments would be capped at a maximum of two vehicles per person.
This means people could get up to two payments.
According to Newsom’s office, an average California driver spends about $300 in gasoline excise tax over a year.
Other stimulus checks include:
- A one-time $500 stimulus check to half a million people in Massachusetts. It’s part of the state’s Employee Premium Pay Program.
- Money through a statewide guaranteed basic income program in New Mexico. A coalition of advocacy groups supporting immigrants will provide monthly cash payments to undocumented people or to families with a mixed immigration status. According to one of the groups in the coalition, N.M. CAFé, 330 families in New Mexico will be getting $500 in monthly cash assistance through next January.
