For a lucky few, new relief checks are going out again in a matter of days. The lucky few, being residents of the state of Maine — and the individual checks totaling $850 ($1,700, for households).
The money is going out as soon as June 1, thanks to Gov. Janet Mills signing a $1.2 billion budget into law that funds the payments. It comes as such relief checks have become much more targeted this year, as similar federal payments going out to millions of Americans pretty much stopped completely at the end of 2021.
Relief checks coming in Maine
As is increasingly becoming the case in various states around the US, state leaders (like those in Maine) are using the opportunity of budget surpluses to return some of that excess revenue to taxpayers. And as for the relief checks specifically in Maine? The governor’s office has said those will go out to “an estimated 858,000 Maine people grappling with the increased costs as a result of pandemic-driven inflation.”
According to the state, the first round of relief checks will be mailed in June. They’ll continue to be delivered “on a rolling basis” through the end of the year. As more people’s state tax returns come in, more checks will go out.
That last part, by the way, is a key point to stress. The receipt of one of the $850 relief checks will be determined by filing a 2021 Maine individual income tax return. Maine residents have until October 31, 2022, to file those returns.
To keep up to date with stimulus check-related news like this, we should add that you can also check out some of our recent stories that cover similar headlines beyond just Maine:
- $3,600 tax credits are now available to even more people – see if you’re eligible
- $2,500 stimulus payments are available to help some Americans pay rent
- 6 stimulus money programs you might qualify for in 2022
Eligibility
Back in April, meanwhile, the Mills administration set up a website, Maine.gov/reliefchecks. It answers questions about the relief checks, including who’s eligible to get one. Requirements include the following:
- Those eligible must have a federal adjusted gross income of less than $100,000 if filing single or if married and filing separately; $150,000 if filing as head of household; or $200,000 for couples filing jointly.
- Eligibility also depends on filing a 2021 Maine individual income tax return by October 31, 2022, as a full-time Maine resident.
This is not all, by the way, that Maine residents could potentially be eligible for when it comes to relief checks or other stimulus-related aid.
“The Mills Administration is encouraging Maine people to carefully examine their eligibility for up to $1,400 in additional tax relief available per person this filing season, thanks to laws already enacted by Governor Mills and the Legislature specifically aimed at supporting low- and middle-income Maine families,” the state website also notes.
Other programs Maine residents might be eligible for include the Homestead Exemption Program. They could also claim the State Property Tax Fairness Credit. Additionally, the Maine Earned Income Tax Credit and the Sales Tax Fairness Credit are available.
