Editor’s note: This story has been updated to correct the phone number customers can call to get help receiving their inflation relief payment.
If you’ve been refreshing your bank statement and checking your mailbox, waiting for your Middle Class Tax Refund to come through, California’s Franchise Tax Board wants you to know there’s still hope.
The agency has been sending out the tax refunds, also known as “inflation relief” payments, since October 2022. While the vast majority of eligible recipients have gotten their due, either by direct deposit or on a debit card sent in the mail, there are still outstanding payments to be made.
The precise number of remaining payments isn’t clear, but the latest data released by the FTB indicates it could be as high as 1.4 million.
If you believe you should have received your Middle Class Tax Refund already based on the state’s payment schedule, the Franchise Tax Board (FTB) suggests contacting Money Network, the vendor California is using to issue the payments. A customer service representative can be reached at 800-542-9332 on weekdays between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
The FTB advised wait times are usually shortest on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
“We advise people to call the Money Network customer service line as early as possible,” a FTB spokesperson told Nexstar. However, the agency said it “is committed to ensuring everyone who qualifies for a MCTR payment receives one.”
The state has already issued about 7.2 million direct deposits and 9.4 million debit cards, adding up to more than $9 billion in benefits paid directly to Californians.
The payments range in size from $200 to $1,050 depending on your income, tax filing status and number of dependents.
