Georgia tax rebate: Here's when you will receive your money and who is eligible
Georgians can soon expect to receive tax rebates ranging from $250 to $500, depending on where they fall in the eligibility chain. The state of Georgia had a $16 billion tax surplus at the end of FY2024. The move comes following Governor Brian Kemp's approval of a bill back in April that promised to release these surplus funds back to the people.
"Here in Georgia, we safeguard every dollar of taxpayer money, because we know it belongs to the people, not the government," Kemp said. "While other states are running up budget deficits and raising taxes on their citizens, we're investing in the priorities of our state while further cutting taxes and returning more than a billion dollars to hardworking Georgians! That's on top of the tax relief we've given in prior years and is a direct result of our conservative budgeting.'
Here's all you need to know about the impending distribution of the $1 billion tax rebate amount:
According to the official website of Georgia's Department of Revenue, you may be eligible for the HB 112 Surplus Tax Refund if you:
• File your Individual Income Tax Return for tax year 2023 and tax year 2024 by the May 1, 2025 deadline (or by October 15, 2025, if an extension was granted)
• Had a tax liability for tax year 2023
• Are a Georgia resident, part-year resident, or non-resident
The last date to file tax returns for 2024 was extended from April 15 to May 1 following the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
The amount due to beneficiaries depends on the category they qualify for:
• $250 for those filing as single
• $250 for married filing separately
• $375 for those filing as head of household
• $500 for couples filing jointly
These rebates will be exempt from taxes under Georgia law. However, if someone owes an outstanding debt to the state, this payment may be reduced accordingly.
Refunds will be processed using the means opted for in taxpayers' regular refund instructions which could be either direct deposits or paper checks. The Department has called for a 6-8 week waiting period starting from the May 1 deadline for issuing these payments. Usually, electronic payments are processed a bit earlier than physical ones.
You can use Georgia Tax Center's e-filing services to check the status of your payment by providing a tax year, your social security number or individual taxpayer ID, and your Federal Adjusted Gross Income from that year. Be sure to update the address on your Georgia Tax Center account if you've moved.
'As families fight through the impacts of high prices over the last several years, I want to thank our partners in the legislature for helping to make this possible and for supporting their fellow Georgians in this way,' Governor Kemp added.
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