How many stimulus check payments remain in California?

In July, Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law the California’s budget unleashing funds for a $12 billion tax rebate to eligible residents. The second round of Golden State Stimulus authorized $600 checks, plus $500 for those with a dependent, to around two thirds of residents.

The first batch of payments began hitting bank accounts in late August and new batches will continue through early 2022. The California Franchise Tax Board expected to get the vast majority of payments to taxpayers that use direct deposit by 31 October, but it is now in the process of sending paper checks.

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California Franchise Tax Board sends new batch of Golden State Stimulus checks

The California state tax authority announced that another 784,000 Golden State Stimulus checks were on their way to residents. The latest batch consists of around 34,000 direct deposits hitting bank accounts on Friday 12 November. On Monday 15 November, the California Franchise Tax Board is sending roughly 750,000 paper checks. The paper checks will take longer to arrive, perhaps up to two weeks to show up in mailboxes due to delays in the postal system.

A media liaison at the tax agency told the Orange County Register that the state has sent out 5.7 million payments so far. Those payments represent around $4.1 billion of the $12 billion slated for the scheme that Governor Newsom touted as “the largest state tax rebate in American history.” With checks going to roughly two thirds of households in the state, or around 15.2 million taxpayers, there are still approximately 8.7 million payments to go.

The remaining payments will primarily be to taxpayers who receive their tax refund as a paper check. The Franchise Tax Board has posted a schedule for when payments will go out based on the last three digits of a filer’s ZIP code.

Payment schedule for paper stimulus checks

Source: California Franchise Tax Board, 2021

Some taxpayers may experience delays receiving their checks

In order to receive a Golden State Stimulus check, residents had to file a 2020 tax return by 15 October. However, depending on when a taxpayer submitted their filing or when it gets processed could mean some Californians may have to wait longer for the payment.

For those who submitted their taxes after 20 August 2021, an additional forty-five-day waiting period should be expected to allow for their tax return and check to be processed. The California Franchise Tax Board has stated that "If your tax return is processed after the date of your scheduled ZIP code payment, allow up to 60 days."

For those that think they are experiencing an unusually long delay, they can contact the California Franchise Tax Board to track their Golden State Stimulus check.