What You Need to Know About the Golden State Stimulus

Aug 26, 2021

What You Need to Know About the Golden State Stimulus

The Golden State Stimulus is part of the $100 billion California Comeback Plan, the largest economic recovery bill in the state’s history, which focuses on giving relief to low- and middle-income families and businesses who were most affected by the pandemic.

You may be qualified for either or both two different stimulus payments – Golden State Stimulus I and II. For those who qualify in either of the two stimulus payments, you don’t have to do a thing except to file your 2020 tax return. Then, you must meet certain eligibility requirements.

ELIGIBILITY

For the Golden State Stimulus I, you must:
• Have filed your 2020 tax return by October 15, 2021
• Be either a CalEITC (Earned Income Tax Credit) recipient or an ITIN filer who make less than $75,000 per year
• Reside in California for more than half of 2020
• Be a California resident on the date payment is issued
• Not be admissible as dependent by another taxpayer

For the Golden State Stimulus II, you must:
• Have filed your 2020 tax return by October 15, 2021
• Have a CA AGI (California Adjusted Gross Income) of $1 to $75,000 and earned wages of not more than $75,000 for the tax year 2020
• Reside in California for more than half of 2020
• Be a California resident on the date payment is issued
• Not be admissible as dependent by another taxpayer

AMOUNT TO RECEIVE

If you qualify for the Golden State Stimulus I, you may receive either a $600 or $1,200 one-time payment.
• Those who are CalEITC recipients, ITIN filer with a total CA AGI of $75,000 or less qualifies for the $1,200 one-time payment, while all other Golden State Stimulus recipients receives $600 one-time payment.

If you qualify for the Golden State Stimulus II and you have an SSN, you may receive either $500, $600, or $1,100 one-time payment.
• Those who qualified for GSS I and claimed a dependent in 2020 will receive an additional payment of $500.
• Those who did not qualify for GSS I and did not claim dependents in 2020 will receive an additional payment of $600.
• Those who did not qualify for GSS I and claimed dependents in 2020 will receive an additional payment of $1,100.
• Those who qualified for GSS I and did not claim dependents do not qualify for GSS II.

If you qualify for the Golden State Stimulus II and you have an ITIN, the amounts you may receive:
• Those who qualified for GSS I and claimed dependents in 2020 will receive an additional payment of $1,000.
• Those who qualified for GSS I and did not claim dependents do not qualify for GSS II.

WHEN PAYMENTS ARE RECEIVED

For Golden State Stimulus I, stimulus payments are scheduled and issued twice a month after all eligible tax returns for 2020 are processed. Payment will be received either via direct deposit or check in the mail.
Stimulus payments will be made based on the specific tax return filing dates:

Between January 1, 2021 and March 1, 2021 After April 15, 2021

o Direct Deposits: Up to 2 weeks
o Paper Checks: Up to 4 to 6 weeks for mailing

Between March 2, 2021 and April 23, 2021 After May 1, 2021

o Direct Deposits: Up to 2 weeks
o Paper Checks: Up to 4 to 6 weeks for mailing

After April 23, 2021:

o Direct Deposits: Up to 45 days after your return have been processed
o Paper Checks: Up to 60 days after your return have been processed

For Golden State Stimulus II, payments are anticipated to begin in September 2021.


Sources:
Golden State Stimulus (https://www.ftb.ca.gov/about-ftb/newsroom/golden-state-stimulus/index.html)

Golden State Stimulus update: Date, amount and eligibility
(https://www.marca.com/en/lifestyle/us-news/2021/08/14/6117c485268e3edf428b4592.html)

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