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IRS Sends Surprise Stimulus Checks to Over a Million Taxpayers

Stimulus Checks
US Treasury Check. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

Federal stimulus checks, passed as part of a trio of COVID relief packages in 2020 and 2021, are long a thing of the past, with little indication that any new ones are on the way. There is one exception, however, for those who never claimed their checks in past years. 

The IRS announced back in December that were going out to about 1 million taxpayers who had not previously claimed their Recovery Rebate Credit for 2021. That was the third stimulus check, the one legislated by the Biden Administration in its opening months in early 2021. 

The payments are set to go out by the end of January. 

“The IRS continues to work hard to make improvements and help taxpayers,” IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel said in the December announcement. “These payments are an example of our commitment to go the extra mile for taxpayers. Looking at our internal data, we realized that one million taxpayers overlooked claiming this complex credit when they were actually eligible.

“To minimize headaches and get this money to eligible taxpayers, we’re making these payments automatic, meaning these people will not be required to go through the extensive process of filing an amended return to receive it.”

For those who have not filed their 2021 tax returns, their deadline is April 15. 

Some Other Stimulus Checks are Still Being Handed Out

What about state stimulus programs

Several states sent them out during the pandemic era, including California’s Golden State Stimulus, which sent out its last payments in 2022. One county in California, Sacramento County, has a program called the Family First Economic Support Pilot (FFESP) program that provides some with a $725 annual payment. While some media reports have described it as a “stimulus checks” program, that isn’t really what it is, and at any rate, the deadline for participation appears to have passed late last year, and its website is no longer operative. 

In early December, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul proposed a round of Inflation Refund Checks, which would take $3 billion in “excess sales tax revenue driven by inflation and giving that money back to everyday New Yorkers.” 

Per the governor’s website, the program would “send a payment of $300 to single taxpayers who make up to $150,000 per year, and a payment of $500 for joint tax filers making up to $300,000 per year.”

“Because of inflation, New York has generated unprecedented revenues through the sales tax — now, we’re returning that cash back to middle class families,” the governor said of the proposal, in the State of the State address. “My agenda for the coming year will be laser-focused on putting money back in your pockets, and that starts with proposing Inflation Refund checks of up to $500 to help millions of hard-working New Yorkers. It’s simple: the cost of living is still too damn high, and New Yorkers deserve a break.”

Former Vice President of the United States Joe Biden speaking with attendees at the Presidential Gun Sense Forum hosted by Everytown for Gun Safety and Moms Demand Action at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines, Iowa. By Gage Skidmore.

Then former Vice President of the United States, Joe Biden, spoke with attendees at the Presidential Gun Sense Forum hosted by Everytown for Gun Safety and Moms Demand Action at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines, Iowa. Image Credit: Creative Commons.

Hochul’s proposal has not yet become law, and there are indications of some opposition to the proposal. 

Colorado, meanwhile, offers checks to residents via Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR) Amendment surplus tax refund program, which results in “excess reveue” being refunded to taxpayers. 

Joint filers with incomes of up to $53,000 can receive $354, with a sliding scale going up to $1,130, for joint filers receiving $1,130 for those making $302,001 and up. 

Author Expertise and Experience:

Stephen Silver is an award-winning journalist, essayist and film critic, and contributor to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Broad Street Review and Splice Today. The co-founder of the Philadelphia Film Critics Circle, Stephen lives in suburban Philadelphia with his wife and two sons. For over a decade, Stephen has authored thousands of articles that focus on politics, technology, and the economy. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) at @StephenSilver, and subscribe to his Substack newsletter.

Written By

Stephen Silver is a journalist, essayist, and film critic, who is also a contributor to Philly Voice, Philadelphia Weekly, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Living Life Fearless, Backstage magazine, Broad Street Review, and Splice Today. The co-founder of the Philadelphia Film Critics Circle, Stephen lives in suburban Philadelphia with his wife and two sons. Follow him on Twitter at @StephenSilver.

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