SSDI recipients were included in Golden State Stimulus, but only if they met specific income and filing requirements

The Golden State Stimulus was a California state tax credit, not a federal payment. It came in two rounds: Golden State Stimulus I (2020) and Golden State Stimulus II (2021). SSDI recipients could receive it, but the program did not automatically send money to everyone on disability. You had to file a California tax return or claim the credit through the Franchise Tax Board, and your income had to fall below the threshold for that year.

The key difference from federal stimulus checks is that Golden State Stimulus required action on your part. The state did not cross-reference SSDI rolls the way the federal government did with Economic Impact Payments. If you did not file taxes and did not claim the credit separately, you did not receive the money, even if you were otherwise may be able to access.

Key Takeaways

  • Golden State Stimulus I and II were California state credits, not automatic federal payments, so SSDI recipients had to take steps to claim them.
  • You needed to file a 2020 or 2021 California tax return, or file a claim with the Franchise Tax Board, to receive the credit.
  • Income limits applied: for GSS I, your California adjusted gross income had to be under $75,000; for GSS II, it was under $75,000 for most filers.
  • SSDI income counts toward the income threshold, so recipients with other earnings or unearned income may have been over the limit.
  • The important date to claim Golden State Stimulus has passed; these payments are no longer available.

How SSDI income affected Golden State Stimulus may be able to access

SSDI benefits count as income for California tax purposes. This meant that if your SSDI payment, combined with any other income (wages, interest, pensions), exceeded the income cap, you could not claim the credit. For Golden State Stimulus I, the limit was $75,000 in California adjusted gross income. For Golden State Stimulus II, the limit was also $75,000 for most filers, though some categories had different thresholds.

Many SSDI recipients had income well below these thresholds and would have been may be able to access. However, the state did not automatically identify them. You had to either file a tax return showing your SSDI income or submit a claim form to the Franchise Tax Board stating your income and requesting the credit.

The two ways SSDI recipients could claim the credit

If you filed a California tax return for the year in question, the Franchise Tax Board would calculate your may be able to access for Golden State Stimulus as part of processing your return. You did not need to do anything extra; the credit would appear on your return or be sent as a separate check.

If you did not file a tax return, you could submit a claim form directly to the Franchise Tax Board. This was the route most SSDI recipients took, since many have income below the filing threshold and would not normally file. The Franchise Tax Board accepted claims by mail or online through its website. You had to provide proof of your income (such as an SSA-1099 statement showing your SSDI benefits) and your California residency.

Income limits and how they worked

Golden State Stimulus I applied to 2020 income. The credit was available to California residents with California adjusted gross income of $75,000 or less. SSDI benefits received in 2020 counted toward that total. If you also had wages, self-employment income, or other unearned income, all of it was added together to determine whether you were under the cap.

Golden State Stimulus II applied to 2021 income and used the same $75,000 threshold for most filers. Individual taxpayers and heads of household had the same limit. Married couples filing jointly had a higher threshold of $150,000.

The income limit was based on your California adjusted gross income as reported on your tax return or claim form. If you were unsure whether your SSDI income alone put you over the limit, the Franchise Tax Board's website included a calculator and worksheets to help you determine may be able to access.

Payment amounts and timing

Golden State Stimulus I provided a one-time payment of $600 to most may be able to access filers. Some filers with dependents received an additional $500 per dependent child. Payments were issued as checks mailed by the Franchise Tax Board or, if you filed electronically, as direct deposits to the bank account you listed on your return.

Golden State Stimulus II provided $600 to most may be able to access filers, with an additional $500 per dependent. Payments began in October 2021 and continued through early 2022 as the Franchise Tax Board processed claims. If you filed a tax return, payment timing depended on when you filed and whether you requested direct deposit. If you submitted a claim form, the Franchise Tax Board processed it in the order received, which could take several weeks.

What happened if you missed the important date

The Franchise Tax Board set important date for claiming Golden State Stimulus. For Golden State Stimulus I, the important date to file a claim was October 15, 2021. For Golden State Stimulus II, the important date was October 15, 2022. After those dates, the Franchise Tax Board no longer accepted new claims, and any unclaimed funds were returned to the state general fund.

If you believe you were may be able to access and submitted a claim before the important date but never received payment, you could contact the Franchise Tax Board to check the status. The board maintained a phone line and online portal where filers could look up their claim. However, claims submitted after the important date could not be processed, regardless of may be able to access.

How Golden State Stimulus differed from federal stimulus checks

Federal Economic Impact Payments (stimulus checks) were sent automatically to people on SSDI because the Social Security Administration provided the IRS with SSDI recipient information. The federal government used existing benefit records to identify may be able to access people and mailed checks without requiring action.

Golden State Stimulus worked differently because it was a state tax credit, not a direct payment program. California did not have a similar automatic mechanism to identify SSDI recipients and send them money. Instead, the state relied on tax filing or on individuals submitting claims. This meant that SSDI recipients who did not file taxes and did not know about the credit missed out, even though they were may be able to access.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did SSDI recipients automatically get Golden State Stimulus?

No. Unlike federal stimulus checks, Golden State Stimulus required you to file a tax return or submit a claim form to the Franchise Tax Board. The state did not automatically send payments to SSDI recipients based on benefit records.

Can I still claim Golden State Stimulus now?

No. The important date to claim Golden State Stimulus I was October 15, 2021, and the important date for Golden State Stimulus II was October 15, 2022. Both important date have passed, and the Franchise Tax Board no longer accepts claims for these credits.

Does SSDI count as income for the income limit?

Yes. SSDI benefits count as income for California tax purposes and are included in your California adjusted gross income. If your SSDI plus any other income exceeded $75,000, you would not have been may be able to access for Golden State Stimulus.

What if I filed a claim but never received payment?

You can contact the Franchise Tax Board to check the status of a claim you submitted before the important date. The board has a phone line and online portal where you can look up your claim. If the claim was processed and approved, the board can tell you when payment was sent and help you trace a missing check.

Is there a similar California stimulus program now?

Golden State Stimulus I and II are no longer available. California has periodically created other tax credits and rebate programs, but they vary by year and may be able to access rules. You can check the Franchise Tax Board's website for information about current California tax credits that may explore to your situation.