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Federal stimulus payments may be a thing of the past, but some states are providing financial relief to their residents in other ways.
Alaska and New Mexico are passing along money from their oil revenues to residents, while lawmakers in other states have passed legislation aimed at providing financial relief to residents struggling with high prices.
Here, Newsweek rounds up some of the states where residents are being sent payments.
Alaska
Most Alaskans are receiving more than $3,000 as the state distributes payments from Alaska's investment fund seeded with money from the state's oil riches.
The payments, known as the Permanent Fund Dividend, or the PFD, amounted to $2,622 in 2022, and lawmakers added $662 as a one-time benefit to help residents with high energy costs.
Direct deposits started hitting bank accounts in fall 2022, but more batches of payments are being sent out in October.
Those who filed online applications and chose to be paid via direct deposit and have been determined eligible by September 22 will receive their payment on October 5, according to the Permanent Dividend Fund's website. Those who are determined eligible for payment by October 18 will receive theirs on October 26 by direct deposit or check.
Massachusetts
Massachusetts started paying refunds to eligible taxpayers under a state law that requires rebates when the state budget is overflowing.
Eligible taxpayers can receive a refund of 14 percent of their Massachusetts personal income tax liability for the 2021 tax year.
Refunds started going out on November 1, 2022. Those who have not yet filed their 2021 return are still eligible for the refund if they file by September 15. Those eligible should receive their refund about a month after they file.
Massachusetts residents can use a tool to estimate their refund here.
Minnesota
Income tax rebates of up to $1,300 started going out to millions of about 2.1 million Minnesota residents this week.
The rebates are part of legislation signed by Democratic Gov. Tim Walz in May to return part of a projected $17.6 billion budget surplus to taxpayers. The aim was to "make life more affordable for middle-class Minnesotans," he said on Wednesday.
Payments of $260 will go to individuals whose adjusted gross income in 2021 was $75,000 or less, while married couples who file jointly and had adjusted gross incomes of $150,000 or less will get $520. Eligible families will also get another $260 for each dependent claimed on a tax return—up to three—for a maximum of $1,300.
Montana
Homeowners in Montana can receive up to $1,350 in property tax rebates over two years.
"Property taxes are too high, which is why we prioritized and secured immediate property tax relief for Montanans this legislative session," Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte said in July.
Homeowners have until October 1 to claim this year's rebate by filing online or submitting a paper form by mail. They are eligible for up to $675 per year for their 2022 and 2023 property taxes on a principal residence, which is defined as the place where they have lived for at least seven months of the year.
Rebates filed online will be issues within 30 days of filing, but paper claims may take up to 90 days to process, according to the Montana Department of Revenue.
New Mexico
New Mexico began sending out rebate checks to eligible residents in June as a result of a multibillion-dollar surplus in oil income.
Eligible residents who filed a 2021 New Mexico Personal Income Tax return and who were not declared as a dependent on another taxpayer's return received their payments automatically—$500 for single filers and $1,000 for married taxpayers filing jointly, heads of household and surviving spouses.
Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced the rebates in April, noting that while prices remain high, New Mexico "is in a fantastic financial position, and it's important to me that New Mexico's families are sharing in that success."
New Mexico residents have until May 31, 2024, to file a 2021 return and still qualify for the rebates.
Washington
The Working Families Tax Credit provides up to $1,200 for low-income working individuals and families.
The tax credit was signed into law in 2008 by then-Gov. Christine Gregoire, but it available for the first time this year after finally being funded.
It is available for individuals and people with children who meet certain eligibility requirements. Residents can see if they qualify and apply online on the Washington State Department of Revenue's website.
About the writer
Khaleda Rahman is Newsweek's National Correspondent based in London, UK. Her focus is reporting on education and national news. Khaleda ... Read more