Last fall, California began issuing Middle Class Tax Refunds, one-time payments designed to ease the bite of inflation. As of Jan. 13, more than 16 million direct deposits and money cards were issued, according to the Franchise Tax Board.
But as many as 1.4 million eligible residents have yet to receive a check, which can be for as much as $1,050.
Initially, officials said they expected to wrap up disbursals by Jan. 14. But if you changed banking information or addresses since last filing taxes, or have other complications, you may be among those waiting.
Below, find out who qualifies for an inflation relief check, when it should arrive and what to do if you haven’t received it.
For more on tax relief, find out which other states are issuing tax refunds.
Who qualifies for a Middle Class Tax Refund?
California taxpayers who filed individually and made $250,000 or less were eligible, as were couples who filed jointly and made $500,000 or less. According to the Franchise Tax Board, that works out to about 25 million Californians.
Individuals who earned more than $250,000 in 2020 — and couples who made more than $500,000 combined — were not eligible for the MCTR, nor was anyone claimed as a dependent in the 2020 tax year.
In addition, you must have lived in the state of California for at least half of 2020, have filed your state tax return by Oct. 15, 2021, and still have been a California resident when payments were issued.
When will I get my stimulus check?
Taxpayers who didn’t set up direct deposit are being mailed debit cards.
Franchise Tax Board
About 95% of MCTR payments were issued by the end of the year, according to the Franchise Tax Board. Californians who received money from either round of Golden State Stimulus payments were the first to receive direct deposits, which should have arrived before Oct. 25, 2022.
The remainder of direct deposits were reportedly issued between Oct. 28 and Nov. 14, 2022.
If you changed your banking information since filing your 2021 tax return — or never set up direct deposit in the first place– you were likely issued a Money Network debit card instead of a deposit. Cards started going out on Dec. 17, 2022, and state officials said they expect to wrap up by the end of January 2023.
Debit card recipients who changed addresses since filing their 2020 tax return, however, may not receive theirs until February. ( If you’ve moved, you can edit your mailing information at MyFTB.)
Below is an estimated payment schedule for various categories of recipients.
Direct deposit
| Who | Estimated delivery window |
|---|---|
| GSS I or II direct deposit recipients | Oct. 7 to Oct. 25, 2022 |
| Non-GSS recipients who met direct deposit requirements | Oct. 28 to Nov. 14, 2022 |
Debit cards
| Who | Estimated delivery window |
|---|---|
| GSS I or II check recipients whose last name begins with A-E | Oct. 24 to Nov. 5, 2022 |
| GSS I or II check recipients whose last name begins with F-M | Nov. 6 to Nov. 19, 2022 |
| GSS I or II check recipients whose last name begins with N-V | Nov. 20 to Dec. 3, 2022 |
| GSS I or II check recipients whose last name begins with W-Z | Dec. 4 to Dec. 10, 2022 |
| Non-GSS recipients whose last name begins with A-L | Dec. 5 to Dec. 17, 2022 |
| Non-GSS recipients whose last name begins with M-Z | Dec. 19 to Dec. 31, 2022 |
| Individuals who changed banking information since filing their 2020 state tax return | Dec. 17, 2022, to Jan. 14, 2023 |
| Individuals who changed address information since filing their 2020 state tax return | Jan. 30 to Feb. 14, 2023 |
I should have gotten my refund already. What should I do?
If you think you’re eligible and don’t receive a payment by Feb. 14, 2023, you can contact the FTB customer service line, weekdays between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., at 800-542-9332. There’s also an online chat option available at mctrpayment.com.
If you accidentally threw out a debit card or believe it was lost or stolen, you can call Money Network at 800-240-0223 and press 3 for “card replacement.” The cards expire in April 2026, according to the Franchise Tax Board.
How much will my refund be?
The MCTR has been set up in three tiers based on the adjusted gross income on your 2020 California state tax return.
- Single taxpayers who earned less than $75,000 and couples who filed jointly and made less than $150,000 will receive $350 per taxpayer and another flat $350 if they have any dependents. A married couple with children, therefore, could receive as much as $1,050. This is the largest bracket, KCRA reported, representing more than 80% of beneficiaries.
- Individual filers who made between $75,000 and $125,000 — and couples who earned between $150,000 and $250,000 — will receive $250 per taxpayer, plus another $250 if they have any dependents. A family with any children could receive $750.
- Individual filers who earned between $125,000 and $250,000 and couples who earned between $250,000 and $500,000 would receive $200 each. A family with children in this bracket could receive a maximum of $600.
How much of a tax rebate can I expect?
| For married couples filing jointly | ||
|---|---|---|
| Adjusted gross income on your 2020 tax return | Payment with dependent | Payment without dependent |
| $150,000 or less | $1,050 | $700 |
| $150,001 to $250,000 | $750 | $500 |
| $250,001 to $500,000 | $600 | $400 |
| $500,001 or more | Not eligible | Not eligible |
| For a head of household or qualifying widow(er) | ||
| Adjusted gross income on your 2020 tax return | Payment with dependent | Payment without dependent |
| $150,000 or less | $700 | $350 |
| $150,001 to $250,000 | $500 | $250 |
| $250,001 to $500,000 | $400 | $200 |
| $500,001 or more | Not eligible | Not eligible |
| If you’re filing individually | ||
| Adjusted gross income on your 2020 tax return | Payment with dependent | Payment without dependent |
| $75,000 or less | $700 | $350 |
| $75,001 to $125,000 | $500 | $250 |
| $125,001 to $250,000 | $400 | $200 |
| $250,001 or more | Not eligible | Not eligible |
You can estimate your refund using the Franchise Tax Board website calculator.
What if I didn’t file a 2020 California tax return?
Most Californians who didn’t file a complete 2020 tax return by Oct. 15, 2021, aren’t eligible for the rebate. (The exception is for those who applied for an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, or ITIN, and didn’t receive it by Oct. 15, 2021.)
But the state is increasing funding for several social programs, including the Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payment, which assists more than a million seniors and disabled people. SSI/SSP benefits are increasing by about $39 a month for individuals and by $100 for couples.
There are also increases to California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids, aka CalWORKS grants, which provide money and services to eligible families with children.