California stimulus checks: 2 million more Golden State payments to be issued next week

Stack of 100 dollar bills with illustrative coronavirus stimulus payment check to show the virus stimulus payment to Americans

California will be distributing another round of Golden State Stimulus II checks to eligible residents next week, the California Franchise Tax Board said Thursday.

In the first batch of the stimulus program’s expansion — which was disbursed on Aug. 27 — about 600,000 payments worth an estimated total of $354 million were deposited into the bank accounts of qualifying individuals.

The number of payments in the next round will be much larger, with about 2 million slated to go out on Sept. 17, Franchise Tax Board spokesperson Daniel Tahara told KTLA.

In general, the state anticipates issuing stimulus checks about every 14 days, though there may be times when the payments go out earlier or later than two weeks, he said.

The first rounds are going out through direct deposit to people who have their bank account information on file with the state tax agency.

For those who typically get their state tax refund in the mail, checks are estimated to begin going out on Oct. 5, Tahara said. The checks will take up to three weeks to arrive once sent.

However, some payments may be delayed, the state warns, because they “may need more review depending on the situation or information we have,” the Franchise Tax Board’s website states. “This could include address changes, bank account changes, etc.”

A total of $12 billion in direct payments is slated to go out to qualifying residents, benefiting about two of every three Californians, according to the state.

The money was included in California’s recently passed $100-billion budget and aims to assist residents who were hit hard financially during the COVID-19 pandemic. The state’s stimulus plan draws on federal coronavirus recovery funds to partially cover the cost.

California’s second stimulus program expands upon Golden State Stimulus I payments, which went out earlier this year.

Under GSS II, qualifying individuals who made $75,000 or less last year may be eligible to receive up to $600, with an additional $500 going to those with at least one dependent.

Some Social Security recipients may also be eligible for the GSS II payment, provided Social Security is not the their sole form of income and they have an adjusted gross income of $75,000 or less (Social Security income is not included in the AGI).

Additionally, Californians who received the earlier GSS 1 payment could get another check if they previously claimed dependents.

California is using 2020 tax returns to determine who will receive the Golden State Stimulus and for how much. Taxpayers eligible for the payment are therefore urged to submit their 2020 return before Oct. 15, 2021, which is the deadline in order to receive a stimulus check.

Residents who aren’t sure whether or not they qualify are encouraged to use the state’s online estimator tool, which will help provide an answer.