California Residents: Claim Your Middle Class Tax Refund

0:00It's April 20th. This is California News Today, AI-powered stories from your city. I'm Cory with the story. California folks, if you're eligible for the middle-class tax refund, you got until April 30th to grab that leftover cash before it vanishes. Back in 2022, state leaders sent out $9.2 billion to $32 million residents as a one-time payout. Payments hit between $201,050 based on your 2020 tax filing, and right now, about $2.95. Billion dollars sits unused on debit cards. This came about when gas prices spiked after the U.S. cutoff Russian oil imports. Most people got direct deposits, but nearly 10 million received prepaid cards mailed between October 2022 and January 20, 23. Officials set reminders last spring, and this one too, and while 90% of those cards got activated, more than half still hold balances.

1:00Plenty of Californians might be sitting on free money without knowing it, especially if they filed a single under $75,000 or join. Under $150,000 back in 2020, that could mean $350,000 to $1,050, waiting, but losing the card or ignoring it means it's gone after April 30th. To check your balance, hit up Money Network at 1-8-024-00223, or their site, have your card number and social. Security ready. No more replacement cards after April 8th, and if it's on hold for fraud checks, just call their line weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. 2. Unlock it. Unused funds from all cards, activated or not, flow back to the state's general fund, come May 1st, so dig out that old mail with the grizzly bear. Logo and spend, or transfer now, to keep what yours.