How To Get California Stimulus Check

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Officials call for patience as payments could be delayed.

Read our stimulus checks live blog for the latest updates on Covid-19 relief…

They may need more review depending on the situation or information we have.”

“This could include address changes, bank account changes, etc.,” a post to the tax agencies website reads.

Gov. Gavin Newsom said the extra money should help residents of the state who suffered financial difficulties during the Covid-19 pandemic to get back on their feet, including low-income parents and self-employed workers.

Stimulus cash is also being provided to artists in New York and teachers in Tennessee.

Up to 2,000 artists will receive checks worth up to $5,000 and payments are expected to be sent out by October.

In Tennessee, $1,000 stimulus checks will be sent to teachers before the end of the year.

Golden State Stimulus Payments: Who Qualifies And How To Claim

To get your Golden State Stimulus payment, you need to submit your 2020 state tax return. If you qualify, the FTB will send out your check after processing your return.

To be eligible for the payment, you must be a recipient of the California Earned Income Tax Credit , or be an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number tax filer who earned $75,000 or less in 2020.

Furthermore, you must have lived in California for at least half of the 2020 tax year and be a resident of the state on the date your Golden State Stimulus payment is made.

CA moms deserve more support. Whether its as caregivers or breadwinners.Were expanding childcare supports across the state and adding 100,000 child care slots the largest expansion of its kind and investing millions more for child care providers.

Gavin Newsom May 9, 2021

California Adjusted Gross Income

You must have $1 to $75,000 of California AGI to qualify for GSS II. Only certain income is included in your CA AGI . If you have income that’s on this list, you may meet the CA AGI qualification. To receive GSS II and calculate your CA AGI, you need to file a complete 2020 tax return by October 15, 2021. Visit Ways to file, including free options, for more information.

Income included in CA AGI

Generally, these are included in your CA AGI:

• Wages and self-employment income
• Gains on a sale of property

Visit Income types for a list of the common types of income.

Income excluded from CA AGI

Generally, these are not included in your CA AGI:

• Social Security
• Supplemental Security Income /State Supplementary Payment and Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants
• State Disability Insurance and VA disability benefits
• Unemployment income

You would generally not qualify for GSS II if these were your only sources of income. However, if you have income that is included in CA AGI in addition to this list, you may qualify for GSS II.

For information about specific situations, refer to federal Form 1040 and 1040-SR Instructions and California 2020 Instructions for Form 540. Go to Line 17 of Form 540 for CA AGI.

If you receive Social Security

You may be wondering whether or not you qualify for GSS II if you receive Social Security income. Social Security income is not included in CA AGI. However, if you have $1 or more of CA AGI , you may qualify for GSS II.

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Golden State Stimulus I

California signed the Golden State Stimulus I, which includes $600-$1200 cash payments to eligible residents.

Eligibility is based on your 2020 tax return . You will need to file your 2020 California state tax return by October 15, 2021 in order to receive your California stimulus check.

Use the below guide to learn more:

Received A Payment In Error

If you received the Golden State Stimulus payment and believe this is an error, please review the eligibility qualifications above to verify this is an erroneous payment. Once verified, follow the instructions that correspond to the payment received:

Direct deposits:

Paper checks that have not been cashed:

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See If You Qualify For Capi

CAPI is a fully state-funded program providing monthly cash benefits to “aged, blind, and disabled non-citizens who are ineligible for SSI/SSP solely due to their immigration status,” the CDSS notes.

See the CDSS website for full details on eligibility requirements for CAPI.

Around 15,000 of the $600 checks are expected to be issued to those eligible under CAPI.

California Stimulus Check Eligibility

To qualify for either Golden State Stimulus I or II, you must file a 2020 tax return by Oct. 15. From there, the eligibility requirements differ depending on income and dependents.

For Golden State Stimulus I, you must meet the following criteria:

• You receive CalEITC or make less than $75,000 per year and file with an ITIN. To qualify for CalEITC, you must earn at least $30,000 in taxable income in 2020, be 18 years or older or have a qualifying child, and file as a status other than married or registered domestic partner filing separate.
• You lived in California for more than half of 2020.
• You are a California resident on the date that checks are distributed.
• You arent eligible to be claimed as a dependent by someone else.

Note that an individual taxpayer identification number allows undocumented workers who do not have Social Security numbers to file taxes, meaning this group is eligible for relief via Golden State Stimulus I .

For Golden State Stimulus II, you must meet the following criteria:

• You earned wages between $0 and $75,000 in 2020 and have a California Adjusted Gross Income between $1 and $75,000.
• You were a California resident for more than half of 2020.
• You are a California resident on the date payments are distributed.
• You cant be claimed as a dependent by someone else.

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Who Qualifies For Californias Stimulus Check

Newsom is looking to give out stimulus checks to residents. If the plan is approved, the state would dish out $600 checks to people who earn up to $75,000 per year. There would also be $500 bonuses for tax filers with dependents and undocumented families, according to NPR.

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Whats going on with the stimulus checks? Heres the latest

California Stimulus Check Eligibility: Who Qualifies For $600 Payments

California is issuing $600 stimulus checks to 5.7 million Californians who qualify for the Golden State Stimulus payment to aid those suffering financial hardship amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The payments are being issued either via direct deposit or as paper checks.

The California Franchise Tax Board states: “You may receive this payment if you receive the California Earned Income Tax Credit or file with an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number .”

To qualify for CalEITC, you must have taxable earned income up to $30,000, not use “married/RDP filing separately” if married or RDP and meet all other qualifications, the FTB advises. See the CalEITC website for more information on other requirements.

ITIN taxpayers who also qualify for the California EITC will receive a total payment of $1,200, the governor’s office said in a statement on February 17 announcing the Golden State Stimulus plan.

Others may also qualify for the stimulus check, such as those enrolled in the CalWORKS program and recipients of federal benefits. See below a full list of those who qualify for the Golden State Stimulus payment.

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Earlier State Stimulus Options

The State of California Franchise Tax Board said last week that 2.5 million Golden State Stimulus payments worth $1.6 billion have already been issued to eligible residents. FTB added that Californians must file their taxes by October 15 to be eligible, though FTB recommends filing as soon as possible.

The first round of state stimulus payments are already available to:

• Californians who earn less than $30,000 a year and are CalEITC recipients
• Californians who made $75,000 a year or less in Adjusted Gross Income and who file taxes with an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number

FTB warned taxpayers that when they receive the state stimulus may depend on when they filed their taxes. For example, if you filed your tax return after April 23 and are eligible for this earlier round of state stimulus, FTB said you can expect your payment up to 45 days later for direct deposit, and up to 60 days later for paper checks.

Haven’t filed your taxes yet? Californians can file their state tax returns online for free using FTBs free CalFile program. FTB also has a list of tax preparation options, some of which are free.

Have a consumer complaint? Let us know, so we can help.

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When To Expect Your Golden State Stimulus Payment

According to the FTB, these are the time periods in which you should expect to receive your Golden State Stimulus payment, depending on when you filed your tax return:

1. If you filed taxes between 1 Jan and 1 Mar

If you filed your taxes between 1 January and 1 March, your stimulus check will arrive after 15 April: within two weeks of that date for direct-deposit recipients and within four to six weeks for paper check recipients.

2. If you filed taxes between 2 Mar and 23 Apr

If you filed your tax return between 2 March and 23 April, your stimulus check will arrive after 1 May: within two weeks of that date for direct-deposit recipients and within four to six weeks for paper check recipients.

3. If you file taxes after 23 Apr

If you file after 23 April, direct-deposit recipients will get their check within 45 days of their return being processed and paper-check recipients will be paid theirs within 60 days of their return being processed.

The FTB has a useful wait time dashboard letting California taxpayers know how long it will take for their tax return to be processed after filing.

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My Household Earned Between $30000 And $75000 Do I Qualify For The Golden State Stimulus

Not yet.

The proposal Newsom announced on Monday, part of a larger $10 billion “California Comeback Plan,” is a major expansion of the states stimulus package from February and would include households earning between $30,000 and $75,000 per year in a new round of $600 checks.

We need to provide direct relief to people in the middle class, Newsom said at a press conference Monday.

But the package still needs the Legislatures approval. Several legislators have already expressed their support for Newsoms expansion but dont expect a check in the mail just yet if your family earned between $30,000 and $75,000 last year.

Taxpayers with dependents would also see an additional $500. So, if you already received your $600 check, you could expect the extra $500 to arrive later on .

The governor also said he plans to add an extra $2 billion to the states rent relief program, an amount he believes could cover 100% of back-rent for tenants who have fallen behind in their rent payments during the pandemic. .

Why California Has So Much Money

That brings us to today. Millions of Californians have lost work during the pandemic the states unemployment rate is tied for highest in the nation and a third of households here do not earn enough to meet the true cost of living in this pricey state.

But our state government has been raking in the cash. California has a record $76 billion budget surplus for the current fiscal year, and is projecting $31 billion in excess revenues for the fiscal year that begins in July.

Nationwide, lower-income adults have been hit especially hard by the Covid-19 economic crunch, while wealthier Americans have been left largely unscathed. That trend holds in California, where we also tax our wealthy at very high rates.

What makes the situation unique in California is that we have this inordinate wealth and income inequality, said Chris Hoene, executive director of the California Budget and Policy Center. And then we have a tax structure designed to actually produce revenue from that.

In late 2020, Gov. Gavin Newsom was planning for the fiscal year that would begin in July 2021. Projections showed that the state could soar past the Gann limit by billions of dollars.

Under state law, the governor wasnt required to act on the limit for another two years. But Newsom was facing the prospect of a recall election in the fall.

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Senior Stimulus: Which Social Security Recipients Will Still Receive A Golden State Payment

Theres still some confusion as to whether Social Security recipients will be receiving Golden State Stimulus II payments. It all depends on state guidelines, and only certain Social Security beneficiaries will receive Californias stimulus check.

Tax Brackets 101: Here Are the Basics You Need To Understand

California News Times reported that nearly 4.5 million checks have been distributed to Californians, about half of the payments expected to go out under this program. The original program was aimed at low-income California residents, but was expanded in July to cover those who make $75,000 or less a year, according to the California Franchise Tax Board.

Californians who receive Social Security checks are eligible for Golden State Stimulus II payments up to $1,100 if they meet the requirements and report other sources of income with an adjusted gross income between $1 and up to $75,000 on their 2020 tax return. The state also noted that when calculating your AGI, Social Security is not included.

Other requirements for Social Security recipients who reported income between $1 and $75,000 on their 2020 tax return include:

• Lived in California for most of last year

• Still live in California

• Have a Social Security number or an Individual Taxpayer Identification number

• Cant be claimed as a dependent by another taxpayer

So who doesnt qualify?

Are Other States Likely To Follow Suit

While it’s uncertain as to whether California or any other state will actually issue more stimulus checks to residents in 2022, it’s possible. Last year, there were 13 states in total that issued stimulus money in some form or fashion to residents, and with the new strain of COVID wreaking havoc on the nation, we may see similar moves this year, too.

That is, of course, all up in the air at the moment. Whether or not these or other states will offer more stimulus money to residents this year remains to be seen. Each state is still dealing with its own set of pandemic-related issues, and as we saw in 2021, those challenges could have a big impact on how each state addresses the financial boosts and other incentives they offer to residents.

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California Gas Tax Holiday: Newsom Proposes Pause On Upcoming Increase

Some additional payments are anticipated to go out, however, as California extended the deadline for individuals who applied for an ITIN by the Oct. 15 tax deadline but didnt receive by then. That group has until Feb. 15. to file their taxes and potentially qualify for a Golden State Stimulus payment.

Its still not clear yet whether the state will enact the program again this year and provide another round of direct payments to residents. For the consecutive year, Californias budget surplus is projected to exceed its constitutional limit, meaning the excess money will have go back to taxpayers in some form or another.

While Gov. Gavin Newsoms proposed budget released Monday didnt include more Golden State payments, he also didnt rule out the prospect of future stimulus checks when asked about the matter.

Thats an open-ended question, he responded, noting the states surplus could will likely change before the May revision is due.

What form and to what degree in terms of total amounts of dollars will be determined more closely in May, Newsom said.

The governors proposed budget is for the upcoming fiscal year, which starts July 1.

When Will My Stimulus Payment Be Sent

California’s stimulus payments are going out twice a month, or about every two weeks, though some may go out earlier or later. Those who qualify and have already set up direct deposit when filing their 2020 tax return can expect an electronic payment.

Most direct deposit stimulus payments will be issued before Oct. 31. If you filed a state tax return after Sept. 1, you might have to wait at least 45 days for the return to be processed and have a check issued.

As for paper checks, those will start going out Oct. 6, and will continue through January of next year. Paper checks will be sent in batches based on the last three digits of the ZIP code on your 2020 tax return. If your tax return is processed during or after the date of your scheduled ZIP code payment, the Franchise Tax Board says, you should allow up to 60 days after your return has been processed.

For a list of timeframes based on ZIP codes, check here. Note that you should allow up to three weeks for a check to arrive by mail once it’s been sent.

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