You May Be Able to Claim a Last-Minute Inflation Relief Check in 2023 — Who Qualifies?

As inflation soared to over 9 percent in June 2022, an all-time 12-month high since 1981, Americans tightened their budgets. To help ease residents' financial burdens, a number of states began giving inflation relief checks. Will anyone be receiving inflation relief checks in 2023?

Most states funded the inflation relief checks through a budget surplus, or leftover funds from state revenues. The relief checks targeted people of certain income levels, those with disabilities, families with children, and other categories. While most people received the money in 2022, there are still some who haven't. Find out what states are continuing to issue inflation relief checks in 2023.

The state of California started issuing its inflation relief checks in October 2022. These are technically tax refunds that return about $9.5 billion to California residents. The state, which refers to the refunds as "Middle Class Tax Refunds," has already issued them to more than 31 million people, and will continue to send them out in 2023.

In order to be eligible for a Middle Class Tax Refund debit card or direct deposit payment, you must have filed your 2020 tax return by Oct. 15, 2021, and made $500,000 or less as a married filer. The income threshold drops to $250,000 for those who file under the status of single or married filing separately.

Payments for the Middle Class Tax Refunds are between $400 and $1,050 depending on your income and number of dependents.

Governor Tim Walz of Minnesota campaigned partly on the concept of using part of the state's $9 billion surplus for inflation relief checks or “Walz checks.” Although the measure hasn’t been approved in the state yet, the relief hasn't been canned. In a recent press release issued by Walz's office, it was noted that these payments would be between $500 and $1,000.

The state of Georgia gave a one-time refund to residents with a tax liability for 2020 if they filed returns in 2020 and 2021. Checks were $250 for individuals, $500 for couples, and $375 for heads of household. Most residents should have received their payments in 2022.

Delaware starting issuing $300 relief checks in May 2022 to those who filed tax returns in 2020 or 2021 and were 18 years old as of Dec. 31, 2021. If you didn't receive your relief check but applied for one between Nov. 1, 2022, and Dec. 15, 2022, applications are still being reviewed in 2023. Fortunately, there's a way to check the status of your rebate online.

Colorado sent out $750 in relief checks in 2022 to those who filed a 2021 tax return by June 30, with checks of $1,500 going to those married filing jointly.

In July, Governor Ron DeSantis announced the $450 stimulus checks to Florida residents. You must have already been in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program or be caring for children and in the Guardianship Assistance Program.

Residents of Hawaii earning less than $100,000 for individuals or $200,000 for couples filing jointly received $300 each (dependents qualify for $300 each too). Payments started going out Sept. 12, 2022. People earning over $100,000 would get $100 apiece.

All payments should have been issued by Dec. 21, 2022. If you didn't receive yours, you can email the Department of Taxation at tax.refunds@hawaii.gov.

A state tax surplus in Idaho was turned into bonus checks for residents who filed in 2020 or 2021. The amount was $300 (single), $600 (filing jointly), or 10 percent of income taxes paid in 2020, whichever amount is higher. Payments started going out in September 2022 and will continue through early 2023, according to the Idaho State Tax Commision.

Illinois residents may receive a small relief check in 2023. The first is a $50 check per individual and $100 per couple filing jointly. Income must have been below $200,000 in 2021 for an individual ($400,000 for a couple). A check for $300 might also be issued for eligible homeowners.

Stimulus checks for Indiana residents are due to an automatic taxpayer refund law — $125 for singles and $250 for couples was the initial amount — and another round was approved for $200/$400. If you only qualify for the second payment, you'll have to claim it on your 2022 tax return.

Residents of Maine received inflation relief checks of $850 beginning June 2022 through the end of the year. Checks were issued to eligible individuals who earned less than $200,000 (couples filing jointly), $150,000 (head of household), or $100,000 (single or married filing separately).

A stimulus check for Massachusetts in 2022 was approved as a tax rebate. It’s based on state law for automatic rebates and will be worth about 13 percent of a person’s tax liability in 2021. While most people have already received their rebates, you can still claim it if you file your 2021 tax return by Sept. 15, 2023, and meet all other eligibility criteria.

The New Jersey stimulus check in 2022 was worth $500 per child under age six through the Middle Class Tax Rebate program. Checks have already been issued.

Rebates of $500 were sent to 2021 New Mexico filers in July, with a second round of the same in August 2022.

• New York: property tax rebates if qualified for 2022 School Tax Relief

• Pennsylvania: one-time tax rebate for low-income homeowners (Dec. 31 was the deadline to apply)

• South Carolina: rebates worth up to $700 to be sent by Dec. 31, 2022

• Virginia: one-time rebate of $250 (single) or $500 (joint)