Californians eligible for a Golden State Stimulus check could soon receive payments of up to $1,100 from the state, with some residents getting the funds as early as Friday, according to Gov. Gavin Newsom.
That’s an earlier date than is listed on the California Franchise Tax Board’s website, which states that most direct deposits are expected to be issued starting Sept. 1.
Newsom made the announcement in a news release issued by his office early Thursday afternoon.
The Franchise Tax Board still says it anticipates most direct deposits will hit bank accounts between the beginning of September and Oct. 15, provided recipients have already completed and filed their 2020 tax returns.
Individuals who will be getting the payment via direct deposit are those who have already chosen that option to receive a refund on their tax return.
Under this payment method, any eligible resident who submits a return after Aug. 20 should allow up to 45 days to receive a payments, although some “may need extra time to process for accuracy and completeness,” according to the tax board.
For people not signed up for direct deposit, checks will be mailed out starting in early October and they will continue to be sent out through the end of the year.
Mailing times will be based on the last three digits of the recipient’s ZIP code, according to the Franchise Tax Board.
The agency provided the following timeline of when it expects mailed payments to go out:
Last 3 digits of ZIP code/mailing time frame
001-065: Oct. 4 through Oct. 22
066-221: Oct. 18 through Nov. 5
222-302: Nov. 1 through Nov. 19
303-543: Nov. 15 through Dec. 3
544-709: Nov. 29 through Dec. 17
710-998: Dec. 13 through Dec. 31
However, taxpayers should expect a delay of up to two months if their return hasn’t been processed prior to their ZIP code’s scheduled payment date.
California’s Wait Times dashboard has more information on tax return and refund processing time frames.
The upcoming mailings and direct deposits are part of California’s second wave of stimulus checks, which are meant to provide relief to residents hit hardest by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The direct payments are part of a $100-billion budget plan signed by Newsom last month; the money is being drawn in part by federal coronavirus recovery funds.
In total, California is doling out about $12 billion in payments, which officials say makes the program the largest state tax rebate in U.S. history.
Under Golden State Stimulus II, as the second stimulus checks plan is called, eligible residents will get up to $600, with an additional $500 going to people with at least one dependent.
And those who qualified for the earlier Golden State Stimulus check and claimed a dependent will get an additional $500 or $1,000. However, recipients who didn’t claim a dependent won’t get another check, the state says.
People who qualify for the payment: currently live in the state and were a California resident for the majority of last year; filed a 2020 tax return by Oct. 15, 2021; have a Social Security Number (SSN) or an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN); can’t be claimed as a dependent by another taxpayer; and meet a certain income threshold.
The financial eligibility requirements include a California adjusted gross income of $1 to $75,000 and wages of up to $75,000.
California residents can check to see if they’re eligible for the payments, as well as the estimated amount they’ll collect, through the state’s online tool.
More residents qualify for the money this time around, with an estimated two out of three Californians expected to benefit from the direct payments, according to the state.
Full details on Golden State Stimulus II payments can be found here.
