Millions of Americans are eligible to receive government stimulus in 2025, whether they know it or not. The IRS is still looking to deliver undispersed pandemic-era checks, and a pair of states are giving inflation relief to low-income and middle-class residents in the form of rebates and refunds.
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Nearly everyone would gladly welcome a stimulus check — and fraudsters know it. This article not only explores some little-known stimulus programs but also offers tips on avoiding the many scams that use government payments as bait.
Also find out several ways you can create your own stimulus check in 2025.
More Than 1 Million Can Claim $1,400 IRS ‘Special Payments’
Many Americans had more money in 2021 than ever before, thanks to pandemic stimulus payments authorized by the American Rescue Plan — but some never cashed in. Now, those who failed to claim their payments initially have another chance to get the money they were supposed to collect.
The IRS announced it is authorizing “special payments” of up to $1,400 to eligible individuals who did not claim the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit or didn’t file a return that year. The agency is paying out $2.4 billion in all and making more than 1 million payments in January alone.
Even those who earned little or no income that year can qualify, but the deadline to claim is Tax Day, Apr. 15, 2025.
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8.6 Million New Yorkers Could Get $300 to $500 Checks
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul included stimulus to roughly 8.6 million middle-class New Yorkers in her Fiscal Year 2026 budget proposal, which means payments could start late this year.
On its official site, the Governor’s Office states that, upon passage, individuals earning up to $150,000 will get $300 checks. Families with incomes under $300,000 will get $500. The $1 billion refund would benefit more than three out of four New Yorkers — 77% — with funds from excess sales tax revenue driven by inflation.
The mass refund — the state’s first inflation-relief stimulus payment — is part of a larger anti-inflation agenda that has seen the state pay back $5.5 billion to filers as rebates, refunds and supplemental payments during Hochul’s administration.
Qualifying Coloradans Can Get Up to $1,112 in Annual Stimulus
Colorado’s Property Tax, Rent and Heat (PTC) Rebate program pays stimulus checks to low-income residents to mitigate the steep cost of rent, heat and property taxes. Those who applied by Tax Day 2024 received $800, or $1,600 for joint filers, but there’s still time for those who didn’t make the deadline.
The state will accept applications through Dec. 31, 2025, and will provide rebate payments of up to $1,112 per year to qualifying individuals who earned less than $18,016 in 2023 or joint filers who earned up to $24,345.
Avoid ‘Free Money’ Scams
Scam artists play on their victims’ hopes — including those of juicy government payments that they didn’t know they were owed.
The official USA.gov site reminds readers that the federal government does not issue grants or any other form of “free money” to individuals for personal or household needs. It reserves those for organizations like nonprofits and universities, so be leery of any offer to help you secure one.
Likewise, be skeptical of anyone informing you that you’re owed an unclaimed stimulus payment. If you think you’re eligible for a rebate, refund or stimulus check, contact the IRS or your state authority directly.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 3 Hidden Stimulus Programs Most People Don’t Know About
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