After the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Americans received an unprecedented amount of financial relief from the government in the years following. A series of economic impact payments were approved by Congress to help ease the financial strain placed on all Americans as a result of the economic turmoil that ensued after lockdown measures were put in place five years ago.
Advertisement: High Yield Savings Offers
Find Out: The Living Wage a Family of 4 Needs in All 50 States
For You: 3 Reasons Retired Boomers Shouldn't Give Their Kids a Living Inheritance
According to the U.S. Government Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC), three rounds of economic impact payments (totaling more than 476 million payments equal to $814 billion in financial relief) went to households impacted by the pandemic between 2020-2021.
Though there are no more federal stimulus checks scheduled, a few states are still looking to send or have sent stimulus checks to their residents in 2025 to mitigate the impacts of continued higher costs and ongoing inflation.
New York
Governor Kathy Hochul recently introduced the idea of New York State’s first-ever Inflation Refund. It passed, so New York State residents who are single taxpayers and make up to $150,000 per year could receive a payment of $300, while joint tax filers making up to $300,000 per year would receive a payment of $500. In fact, the state is sending inflation refund checks to over 8 million residents as part of the fiscal year 2026 budget.
“Because of inflation, New York has generated unprecedented revenues through the sales tax — now, we’re returning that cash back to middle-class families,” explained Governor Hochul. She added, “the cost of living is still too damn high,” and she’s looking to give New Yorkers financial breathing room in 2025.
These one-time refunds are designed to help New Yorkers with the cost of living going up, thanks to inflation. Checks began mailing in late April 2025 and will continue through May.
Up Next: 3 Signs You’ve ‘Made It’ Financially, According to Financial Influencer Genesis Hinckley
California
New York isn’t the only state sending out stimulus checks in 2025. California has confirmed a new round of stimulus checks up to $725 for eligible households, depending on income and family size. The new stimulus checks are designed to support state residents who may be facing financial challenges due to inflation.
Here are some of the requirements to qualify:
-
Annual income: Beneficiaries must stay within certain income limits set by the program.
-
Residency in California: Applicants must be legal residents of California and have filed a recent state tax return.
-
Exclusion from previous rounds: Priority is given to individuals who did not receive aid in earlier phases of the Golden State Stimulus program.