$600 stimulus check for California going out now: FTB payment details to know

This week, Californians who qualify can begin looking for their state stimulus payments for up to $600 per person. The first wave of Golden Gate stimulus checks is now going out to qualified Californians, straight to bank accounts and in the mail from the state’s Franchise Tax Board (here’s how to track your check in the mail).

The California checks are in addition to the stimulus checks coming from the IRS for up to $1,400 ; they are part of the state’s $7.6 billion coronavirus relief package that includes sending $600 or $1,200 stimulus payments to state residents who qualify.

If you live in California, here’s how to find out if you are eligible for the Golden Gate $600 or $1,200 payment, what you have to do receive your money and when the checks will go out. Also, here is the latest on the IRS schedule for sending the third stimulus payment, how much money you could get from the revised child tax credit and how to check if California owes you hundreds of dollars extra (or any other state).

Do you qualify for the $600 or $1,200 stimulus payment?

You are eligible for a $600 Golden Gate payment from the state’s FTB if you are a California resident, filed your 2020 taxes and meet one of these requirements:

• You qualify for California’s earned income tax credit, or CalEITC, on your 2020 tax return.
• You are not a CalEITC recipient but you file with with an Individual Tax Identification Number, or ITIN, and your California adjusted gross income, or CA AGI, was $75,000 or less.

• You filed a joint return, either you or your spouse filed with an ITIN — and your CA AGI was $75,000 or less.

You are eligible for a $1,200 Golden Gate payment if you are a California resident, filed your 2020 taxes and meet one these requirements:

• You are a CalEITC recipient, filed with an ITIN and had a CA AGI of $75,000 or less.

• You filed a joint return, you are a CalEITC recipient, you or your spouse filed with with an ITIN and your CA AGI was $75,000 or less.

If have already filed your state taxes but did not claim the CalEITC, you can file an amended 2020 tax return to claim it and qualify for the California stimulus payment.

When will your California stimulus check arrive?

California’s stimulus payments are going out twice a month, the Franchise Tax Board said, for those who have filed eligible 2020 tax returns.

If you filed your state tax return between Jan. 1 and March 1, the FTB has processed your return and you will receive your stimulus payment after April 15. The FTB said a paper check may take four to six weeks to arrive for this group.

If you filed your state taxes after March 2, it can take up to 45 days for you to receive your payment as a direct deposit and 60 days for a mailed check — after the FTB processes your state tax return.

California has a wait-time website to give you an idea how long the FTB is taking to process tax returns.

Will your payment come as a check or direct deposit?

According to the FTB, those who qualify and set up direct deposit when filing their return can expect an electronic payment. Those who don’t have direct deposit set up with the state will receive a paper check. 

The state payment expires on Nov. 15, according to the FTB — to make sure you get yours, file your 2020 tax return by the extension deadline of Oct. 15 (the regular deadline without an extension is April 15). 

Will this new $600 payment affect your third federal stimulus check? 

California’s $600 payments are separate from the third stimulus check of up to $1,400 per person from the IRS.

Here’s everything we know about the third stimulus check, the ongoing IRS schedule for making payments and how else you might get money with your taxes.