What the Golden State Stimulus was and who received it
The Golden State Stimulus was a one-time payment program run by California that sent money to certain residents between 2021 and 2023. If you received Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) in California during the may have access to months, you may have received a payment without having to do anything — the state sent it automatically based on existing benefit records.
The program had two rounds. The first round, in 2021, sent $600 to most SSI and SSDI recipients. The second round, in 2022 and 2023, sent $1,200 to people who met income and residency requirements. Because the state already knew who was receiving SSI and SSDI, most people did not need to submit paperwork or "explore" — California matched its benefit rolls against tax records and sent payments directly.
This program has ended. No new Golden State Stimulus payments are being issued. If you did not receive a payment when the program was active and believe you should have, you can still contact the state to ask about it, but the window for receiving new payments has closed.
Key Takeaways
- Golden State Stimulus payments went to SSI and SSDI recipients automatically in 2021 and 2022–2023 if they met income and residency rules.
- You did not need to submit an process — California used existing Social Security records to identify and pay recipients.
- The program is no longer issuing new payments as of 2023.
- If you think you should have received a payment but did not, you can contact the California Franchise Tax Board to ask about your status.
Who was may be able to access for Golden State Stimulus payments
To receive a Golden State Stimulus payment, you had to be receiving either SSI or SSDI in California during the month the state used to determine may be able to access. You also had to be a California resident and meet income limits that varied slightly between the first and second rounds.
For the first round in 2021, most SSI and SSDI recipients automatically received $600. For the second round in 2022–2023, the income limit was roughly $75,000 for single filers and $150,000 for joint filers, though the exact threshold depended on your filing status. If you were receiving SSI, your benefit amount itself was already below the income limit, so you almost certainly may have access to for the second round as well.
The state did not require you to file taxes or submit any forms to prove you lived in California. It used the Social Security Administration's records to identify who was receiving benefits and cross-checked that against tax data and other state records to confirm residency.
How payments were sent and what to do if you did not receive yours
California sent Golden State Stimulus payments by direct deposit to the bank account on file with Social Security, or by check if no bank account was registered. Most payments arrived within a few weeks of the state issuing them, though some took longer depending on mail delivery and banking delays.
If you were receiving SSI or SSDI during the may have access to period and did not receive a payment, you can contact the California Franchise Tax Board to ask about your status. You will need to provide your Social Security number and proof that you were receiving benefits during the month the state used for its records. The Franchise Tax Board can tell you whether the state sent a payment on your behalf and, if so, where it went.
If the state issued a check that was lost or never arrived, the Franchise Tax Board may be able to issue a replacement. If a payment was sent to a bank account you no longer use, you may need to contact that bank to ask whether the deposit was made and what happened to it. The state cannot reissue payments for accounts that received the money correctly.
How Golden State Stimulus affected your benefits
Golden State Stimulus payments did not reduce your SSI or SSDI benefits. Social Security treats stimulus payments as non-countable income, meaning they do not count against the income limits that determine how much you receive each month. You could receive the full stimulus payment without any effect on your benefit amount.
The payments also did not affect your Medicaid or other means-tested benefits in most cases, though some programs have different rules. If you receive CalFresh (food information) or other California state benefits that count income, you may want to contact those programs to ask whether the stimulus payment affected your case, though most treated it as non-countable as well.
Contacting California about Golden State Stimulus
The California Franchise Tax Board handled Golden State Stimulus payments. You can reach them by phone at 1-833-675-0557 to ask about your payment status. Have your Social Security number ready, and be prepared to provide proof that you were receiving SSI or SSDI during the may have access to month.
You can also visit the Franchise Tax Board website to check your payment status online if you have a California tax account set up. The website allows you to look up whether a payment was issued in your name and the date it was sent.
If you have questions about how the stimulus payment affected your SSI or SSDI benefits, contact Social Security directly at 1-800-772-1213 rather than the Franchise Tax Board. Social Security can clarify how the payment was treated under benefit rules.
Other stimulus programs you may have received
The Golden State Stimulus was separate from federal stimulus payments issued during the pandemic. If you received SSI or SSDI, you may also have received federal Economic Impact Payments (stimulus checks) in 2020 and 2021. Those were issued by the U.S. Treasury and did not require you to file taxes or explore — Social Security provided your information to the Treasury automatically.
Some people received both federal stimulus payments and the Golden State Stimulus. The two programs had different rules and different payment amounts, so receiving one did not disqualify you from the other. If you are unsure whether you received a federal stimulus payment, you can check the IRS website or call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I still get a Golden State Stimulus payment if I did not receive one?
The program ended in 2023 and is no longer issuing new payments. However, if you believe you should have received a payment during the time the program was active and did not, contact the California Franchise Tax Board at 1-833-675-0557 to ask about your case. They can investigate whether a payment was issued and help you track it down if it was lost.
Did the Golden State Stimulus count as income for SSI or SSDI?
No. Social Security treats stimulus payments as non-countable income, so the Golden State Stimulus did not reduce your monthly benefit amount. You received the full payment without any effect on your SSI or SSDI.
What if I received a Golden State Stimulus payment by mistake?
Contact the California Franchise Tax Board to report the error. Do not spend the money if you believe it was sent in error. The state may ask you to return it, and keeping money you are not may have access to to can create problems with your benefits later.
How do I know if I was may be able to access for the second round of Golden State Stimulus?
If you were receiving SSI, you almost certainly were may be able to access for the second round because SSI benefits are already well below the income limit. If you were receiving SSDI, you were may be able to access if your income (including your SSDI benefit) was below roughly $75,000 for single filers or $150,000 for joint filers. Contact the Franchise Tax Board if you are unsure whether you met the threshold.
What happens if I owe money to the state and they withheld my Golden State Stimulus payment?
California can use stimulus payments to offset debts you owe to the state, such as unpaid taxes or child support. If this happened to you, the Franchise Tax Board should have sent you a notice explaining the offset. Contact them to ask about the details and whether you can dispute the offset.