3 States That Are Still Giving Out Tax Rebates
Does your state owe you money?
After the federal government finished sending out the last of its COVID stimulus checks, many states took up the mantle, using special funding and budget surpluses to issue their residents tax rebates in 2022. This "state stimulus check" trend continued last year, with a couple of states sending refunds up to $200 (in Virginia) and rebates up to $1,000 per taxpayer (in New Mexico).
Now that it's 2024, these state stimulus check programs have largely petered out. Though legislators in North Carolina and South Carolina discussed distributing tax rebates funded by budget surpluses, neither state has approved them. A similar pitch in Michigan that would have given rebates to people who buy new electric, hybrid or traditional cars also failed to materialize.
However, there are a handful of places still cutting checks to locals who meet a certain set of circumstances. Here are three states where you can get a stimulus-style tax rebate in 2024:
Missouri
Drivers in Missouri may be able to get a refund on the increase in gas taxes they paid during the past fiscal year, which spanned July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024.
To qualify, the fuel in question had to be used for highway purposes and go into a vehicle weighing less than 26,000 pounds. Individuals and businesses have to complete Form 4923-H to apply for the refund.
The form asks for your personal information, vehicle identification number, total gasoline gallons, total diesel gallons and the total Missouri motor fuel tax increase paid. Then you have to list the details of the relevant transactions, including the seller's name, the seller's address and the exact amount of gas purchased, out three decimal points. Though you don't need to attach the receipts, you should keep them for at least three years.
The state's department of revenue opened a special online portal in July for the Motor Fuel Consumer Refund Highway Use Claim. The deadline for the application to be submitted or postmarked is Sept. 30.
Pennsylvania
Certain Pennsylvania homeowners and renters may be eligible for the Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program, which provides rebates between $380 and $1,000, depending on a person's income. (Folks in a handful of Pennsylvania cities may be entitled to even more.)
To qualify, a person must have a household income of $45,000 or less and be 65 or older, be a widow or widower 50 or older, or be a resident with disabilities 18 or older. Applicants will need to provide proof of age, income and property taxes (or rent) paid in 2023.
In a May news release, Gov. Josh Shapiro said the rebate "has long been a lifeline for our seniors and people with disabilities, especially those on a fixed income." The deadline for applications was recently extended to Dec. 31.
Payments have already started going out. As of July 3, more than 442,000 rebates worth a collective $266 million had been distributed.
Washington
The Evergreen State is rolling out its new Washington EV Instant Rebates Program in August. The program gives people who buy or lease an electric vehicle a rebate of up to $9,000 at the dealership. (Many states offer incentives like rebates and tax credits in hopes of encouraging drivers to get EVs.)
To qualify for this one, you must be a Washington resident with household earnings at or below 300% of the federal poverty level. The car in question must be a full-battery electric vehicle that costs $90,000 or less. You must buy it from an automaker that sells directly to customers, a car dealer or a used car dealer that has at least two locations in the state (or one that sells EVs only).
According to Washington's department of commerce, the rebate is stackable with other incentives, including the federal EV tax credit, and should be provided at the point of sale. The maximum state rebate for a new EV is $9,000, and the maximum for a used EV is $2,500.
"What we're trying to do is to make these vehicles accessible to as many people as humanly possible," Gov. Jay Inslee told reporters in April. "You can wake up every morning and say, 'I'm not gonna have to buy a gallon of gasoline,' that makes people really, really happy."
The rebate program goes through June 2025 or until the funds run out.
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