(NEXSTAR) – Californians won’t be receiving their inflation relief payments until October at the earliest, state officials say, but you may be wondering how you can expect to receive your check once the time comes.
California will issue the payments – also known as the middle class tax refund – two ways: direct deposit and debit cards. How can you tell which way you’ll get your money?
“Generally, if you filed electronically and received your 2020 tax refund by direct deposit, then you should get your payment the same way. Otherwise, you will receive your payment on a debit card,” the California Franchise Tax Board says.
Some examples of people will receive their payments on a debit card and not via direct deposit, according to the FTB, are:
- Taxpayers who filed a paper return
- Taxpayers who received their 2020 tax refund by check
- Taxpayers who had a balance due in 2020
- Taxpayers who received their Golden State Stimulus payment by check
- Taxpayers who used their refund to pay their tax preparer fees
- Taxpayers who received an advanced refund for the 2020 tax year
If any of those scenarios applies to you, a debit card with your refund will be sent to the address the FTB has on file. If you’ve moved since you filed your 2020 taxes, you can change your address on file on the FTB’s website, or by phone or mail. (See instructions from the FTB here.)
“Please note that additional time should be allowed for processing payments with address changes,” the FTB tells Nexstar.
The payments are scheduled to be issued between October 2022 and January 2023, the Franchise Tax Board says. Payments will range from $200 to $1,050, depending on your income, filing status and number of dependents. You can calculate the size of your inflation relief check here.
