What the Golden State Stimulus was and who received it

The Golden State Stimulus was a one-time payment program run by California during 2021 and 2022. The state issued two rounds of payments: the first Golden State Stimulus (GSS I) in 2021 and a second round (GSS II) in 2022. SSDI recipients in California were among the groups who could receive these payments, though not all SSDI recipients were included.

The program has ended. No new Golden State Stimulus payments are being issued. This guide explains who received payments, how much they got, and what to do if you believe you were owed a payment but did not receive one.

Key Takeaways

  • Golden State Stimulus I paid $600 to most California residents with income below a certain threshold; Golden State Stimulus II paid $1,200 to a narrower group.
  • SSDI recipients were included in GSS I if their 2020 tax return showed income below $75,000 (single) or $150,000 (married filing jointly).
  • GSS II included SSDI recipients only if they also received the federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) on their 2020 tax return.
  • Payments were issued by the California Franchise Tax Board based on 2020 tax returns; most were sent by mail or direct deposit between March and October 2021 for GSS I and between October 2021 and January 2022 for GSS II.
  • If you did not receive a payment you believe you were owed, you could file a claim with the California Franchise Tax Board, though the important date to do so has passed.

Golden State Stimulus I: income limits and payment amounts

Golden State Stimulus I was available to California residents who filed a 2020 tax return and met income thresholds. For SSDI recipients, the income limit was $75,000 for single filers and $150,000 for married couples filing jointly. The payment was $600 per person.

SSDI income itself counted toward this threshold. If you received SSDI and also had other income—from work, a pension, or investments—all of it was added together. If the total exceeded the limit, you did not receive GSS I. The California Franchise Tax Board used your 2020 tax return to determine whether you met the income requirement.

Most GSS I payments were issued between March and October 2021. The state sent payments by mail or direct deposit, depending on how you filed your tax return. If you filed electronically and provided a bank account, you were more likely to receive direct deposit.

Golden State Stimulus II: the EITC requirement

Golden State Stimulus II had a narrower scope. To receive GSS II, you had to meet two conditions: you had to live in California and you had to have claimed the federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) on your 2020 tax return.

The EITC is a federal tax credit for people with low to moderate income, particularly those with children or who work. Many SSDI recipients do not claim the EITC because they do not have earned income from work. If you received only SSDI and did not work, you would not have claimed the EITC and would not have been included in GSS II.

GSS II payments were $1,200 per person. They were issued between October 2021 and January 2022, again by mail or direct deposit based on your 2020 tax return filing method.

How payments were calculated and sent

The California Franchise Tax Board administered both rounds of the Golden State Stimulus. The state matched your Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) to your 2020 tax return to determine whether you met the income and other requirements.

Payments were issued in the order that returns were processed. If you filed your 2020 return early in 2021, you received your payment earlier. If you filed late or amended your return, your payment came later or was recalculated. Some people received payments in multiple installments if they filed amended returns after receiving an initial payment.

The state sent most payments by mail to the address on your tax return. If your address had changed and you did not update it with the California Franchise Tax Board, the payment may have been returned to the state. Some payments were sent by direct deposit to the bank account you listed on your return.

What to do if you did not receive a payment

If you believed you met the requirements for Golden State Stimulus I or II but did not receive a payment, you could file a claim with the California Franchise Tax Board. However, the important date to file a claim has passed. The state set a final important date of October 15, 2023, to submit a claim for either round of the stimulus.

If you missed that important date, you cannot file a new claim. The Golden State Stimulus program is closed, and no additional payments are being issued. If you have questions about why you did not receive a payment, you can contact the California Franchise Tax Board, but they cannot issue a payment after the important date has passed.

If you did receive a Golden State Stimulus payment but believe it was incorrect—for example, if you received GSS I but also should have received GSS II—you would have needed to file a claim by the October 2023 important date. That important date has now passed.

How Golden State Stimulus payments affected other benefits

Golden State Stimulus payments were treated as one-time, non-taxable payments by the federal government. This meant they did not count as income for federal tax purposes and did not affect your federal tax liability.

However, the payments could have affected your may be able to access for other means-tested programs. Some states and counties count one-time payments as income or resources when determining may be able to access for Medicaid, CalFresh (food information), or other programs. If you received a Golden State Stimulus payment and were concerned about how it might affect your benefits, you should have reported it to the program administrator when you received it.

SSDI itself was not affected by the Golden State Stimulus payment. Your SSDI benefit amount does not change based on one-time payments, and receiving the stimulus did not change your SSDI status.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did SSDI recipients automatically receive Golden State Stimulus payments?

No. You had to file a 2020 tax return to be considered. Many SSDI recipients do not file tax returns because their income is below the filing threshold. If you did not file a 2020 return, you were not included in either round of the stimulus, even if you met the income requirements.

If I received SSDI and also worked part-time, could I get the stimulus?

For GSS I, yes, as long as your total income (SSDI plus work income) was below $75,000 (single) or $150,000 (married). For GSS II, you had to have claimed the EITC on your 2020 return, which means you had to have earned income and met the EITC income limits. Work income alone does not may provide GSS II may be able to access.

What if my address changed and I never received the payment?

If the state mailed a payment to an old address and you never received it, you could have filed a claim with the California Franchise Tax Board by October 15, 2023. That important date has passed. You cannot file a new claim now.

Did the Golden State Stimulus count as income for Medicaid or other programs?

The federal government did not count it as income for federal tax purposes, but some state and local programs may have treated it differently. If you were on Medicaid or another means-tested program, you should have reported the payment to that program to find out whether it affected your benefits.

Can I still get a Golden State Stimulus payment now?

No. The program ended in 2022, and the important date to file a claim passed on October 15, 2023. No new payments are being issued under this program.