$8.8 Billion in Financial Relief for Californians: Middle Class Tax Refunds Distributed

The Middle Class Tax Refund, also known as inflation relief checks, will be distributed to California residents by the end of 2022. The state agency responsible for issuing these payments, the Franchise Tax Board (FTB), has already sent out 7 million direct deposits and over 9 million debit cards. These payments range from $200 to $1,050 and total almost $8.8 billion, based on a report published by KTLA on January 5, 2023.

The FTB estimates that a total of 18 million payments will be made by January 14, with around 1.9 million remaining. According to a report by the Orange County Registry on January 6, 2023, most of these remaining payments will be issued as debit cards through the mail. If you believe you should have already received your payment but have not, the FTB suggests contacting their customer service at 1-800-542-9332.

Direct deposit payments were sent to certain recipients from October 7–25 and to others from October 28–November 14. Payments by debit card were mailed to various groups of recipients based on the first letter of their last name, with the dates for each group ranging from October 24 to December 31. Direct deposit recipients who have changed their banking information since filing their 2020 tax return will receive their payments from December 17, 2022, to January 14, 2023.

So far, according to the FTB’s website, over 30 million California taxpayers and their dependents have received direct payments through the Middle Class Tax Refund program.