The inflation refund checks went to people who filed taxes in specific states during specific years

Inflation refund checks were state-level payments, not federal ones. They came from individual states that had budget surpluses and chose to return money to taxpayers. The states that sent them, the years they sent them, and who received them varied widely. California, Colorado, Illinois, and several others each ran their own programs with different rules about income, filing status, and residency.

If you received a check, it came because you met that particular state's criteria for that particular year. There is no single "inflation refund" program — each state designed its own. This means may be able to access depended entirely on where you lived and filed taxes, not on a national standard.

Key Takeaways

  • Inflation refund checks were issued by individual states, not the federal government, so may be able to access rules differed by state and year.
  • Most states required you to have filed a tax return in that state during the year the refund was issued, with income below a certain threshold.
  • Some states sent checks to all filers above a minimum income; others limited them to people who filed as single or head of household.
  • The checks have already been mailed — these programs are not ongoing, and new inflation refunds are not currently being issued by most states.

Which states sent inflation refund checks and when

California sent multiple rounds: $600 checks in 2022 to people who filed 2020 taxes, and $350 checks in 2023 to people who filed 2021 taxes. Colorado sent $750 checks in 2023 to people who filed 2021 taxes. Illinois sent $50 checks in 2022. New Mexico, Minnesota, and several others sent smaller amounts during 2022 and 2023. Each program had its own filing important date and its own income limits.

Some states tied the refund to a specific tax year — meaning you had to have filed taxes in that year to receive it. Others based it on residency during a certain period. A few required you to still be living in the state when the check was issued. The details changed from state to state, which is why two people with identical incomes in different states might have received different amounts or nothing at all.

Income limits and filing status requirements

Most states set an income threshold above which you would not receive a check. California's 2022 refund went to people with adjusted gross income under $250,000 (or $500,000 if married filing jointly). Colorado's went to people under $75,000 (or $150,000 if married). These thresholds were high enough that most filers may have access to, but some states set them lower.

A few states restricted checks to certain filing statuses. Some paid everyone who filed; others excluded married couples filing separately, or limited payments to single filers and heads of household. You would have needed to check your state's specific rules at the time the program was active to know whether your filing status mattered.

How to learn about you received a check or should have

If you think you should have received a check but did not, the program for that state has almost certainly ended. These were one-time refunds tied to specific budget years, not ongoing programs. Your state's tax department website may still have archived information about the program, including who was supposed to receive it and how to report a missing check.

Contact your state's tax authority directly — usually called the Department of Revenue or Franchise Tax Board — and provide the tax year in question. They can tell you whether you met the criteria and, if so, whether a check was issued to you. If a check was lost or never arrived, they may be able to issue a replacement, but this depends on how long ago the program ran and your state's policies on stale checks.

Why these checks were issued and why they stopped

States sent inflation refunds because they collected more tax revenue than they expected, usually due to higher-than-anticipated income or sales tax receipts. Rather than keep the surplus, some states chose to return it to taxpayers. The checks were framed as relief from inflation, though they were really just a return of excess revenue.

Most of these programs are no longer active because the budget surpluses that funded them have ended. States that had large surpluses in 2022 and 2023 faced tighter budgets in 2024 and beyond. There is no federal inflation refund program, and most states are not currently issuing new refund checks. If a state does create a new refund program in the future, it would be announced through that state's tax authority and news outlets.

What to do if you have questions about a specific state's program

Each state's tax department maintains records of its refund program. If you want to know whether you were supposed to receive a check, contact them directly with your Social Security number and the tax year in question. They can confirm whether you met the income and residency requirements and whether a check was issued.

If you moved after filing taxes in a state that issued refunds, the check may have been sent to an old address. The state's tax department can help trace it. If enough time has passed, the check may have been returned to the state as unclaimed property, which you can search for through your state's unclaimed property program (usually run by the State Treasurer's office).

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get an inflation refund check now?

No. These were one-time programs that have ended. Most states that issued them in 2022 and 2023 are not issuing new refunds. If your state creates a new refund program in the future, it will announce it through the state tax authority's website and local news.

What if I moved and never got my check?

Contact your state's tax department with your Social Security number and the year you filed. They can confirm whether a check was issued and to what address. If it was returned as undeliverable, it may be in your state's unclaimed property system, which you can search through the State Treasurer's office website.

Do I have to report the refund check as income on my taxes?

No. These were refunds of taxes you already paid, not new income. You do not report them on your federal or state tax return. If you received a check, it does not affect your tax filing for that year.

Why did some states send checks and others did not?

States only sent refunds if they had budget surpluses and chose to return the money. Not all states had surpluses, and some that did chose to spend the money on other priorities instead. It depended on each state's revenue situation and political decisions.