While millions of Americans benefited from stimulus checks from the federal government during the pandemic, that didn’t mark the end of rebates going out to residents.
Many states have approved rebates since then to go to residents that fit certain criteria, with some using leftover stimulus money to fund the extra financial boost.
While many of the rebates have disappeared in the years following the pandemic, multiple states still have direct payments available in 2024.
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“Rebates are becoming increasingly popular with state governments and for good reason,” Alex Beene, a financial literacy instructor for University of Tennessee at Martin, told Newsweek. “They’re a great way of making taxpayers see their dollars are being put to good use and be used as a way of assisting with problems plaguing the state that additional funding could benefit.”
Missouri Tax Rebates on Gas
In Missouri, drivers are eligible for a refund based on the additional gas taxes they paid from July 2023 to June 2024.
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To qualify, you must have used gas on the highway and used a vehicle that weighs less than 26,000 pounds. To earn the money, both individuals and businesses will have to complete Form 4923-H.
You’ll also need your vehicle identification number and the total gasoline and diesel gallons you used plus the total Missouri motor fuel tax increase you paid for the affected time period.
The form gets a bit more detailed, requiring you to list all transactions with the seller’s name and address plus the exact amount of gas purchased. The deadline to submit your information for the gas rebate is September 30, and you can file for the money both online and via mail.
Pennsylvania Homeowners/Renters Rebate
Meanwhile, officials in Pennsylvania are rewarding both homeowners and renters in the state via a property tax/rent rebate program.
The rebate is worth between $380 and $1,000 depending on your income level and housing situation.
The specific eligibility criteria mandate that residents must have a household income of $45,000 or less and be 65 or older, a widow age 50 or older or be a disabled adult. You’ll need proof of age, income and the taxes or rent you paid last year.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro previously called the rebate a “lifeline for our seniors and people with disabilities, especially those on a fixed income.”
This year, homeowners and renters who qualify will also have extra time to apply for the rebate, as the state recently extended its deadline to December 31.
Many seniors and adults with disabilities earned the rebate over the last month, and the state said over 442,000 rebates were distributed as of July 3.
Washington EV Instant Rebate Program
Meanwhile, in Washington, those with an electric vehicle will benefit from the state’s EV Instant Rebates Program.
Anyone who purchased an electric vehicle qualifies for up to $9,000 as long as they’re under a certain income level.
Your household income must be at or below 300 percent of the federal poverty level, and the vehicle purchased must be $90,000 or less.
“What we’re trying to do is to make these vehicles accessible to as many people as humanly possible,” Governor Jay Inslee previously told The Washington State Standard. “You can wake up every morning and say, ‘I’m not gonna have to buy a gallon of gasoline,’ that makes people really, really happy.”
The rebate money will continue to be available until June 2025 or until the program runs out of money.
The majority of the rebates available “encourage better choices,” Beene said, while softening the blow of inflation. But that doesn’t mean Americans should necessarily expect more direct payments anytime soon.
“As to whether we’ll see more of them in the future, it’s really all going to come down to each state’s economic performance and how much revenue continues to come in,” Beene said. “It’s an encouraging sign, though, that legislators see rebates as an effective means of using taxpayers’ money.”
Many of the rebate programs have been funded with stimulus money scheduled to disappear by the end of the year, meaning states are looking for quick ways to get the money into their taxpayers’ hands.
“Much of the pandemic stimulus would need to be exhausted prior to year-end, or at least accounted for, for it not to be returned,” Kevin Thompson, a finance expert and the founder and CEO of 9i Capital Group, told Newsweek. “States are trying any number of ways to get this money out to its citizens in the form of EV/Property tax rebates, no-strings-attached income distributions, or clean energy plans for low-income individuals.”
Not everyone has been in favor of the payments, however, with some worried about how reliant residents could become on the rebates and what happens when the money runs out in next year’s budget.
“These plans have been met with staunch disapproval from legislative members because some feel that individuals may become accustomed to these incentives, while others see it as much-needed relief in our current environment,” Thompson said.
“Regardless how one may feel about the programs, only time will tell how they actually impact these cities longer term. However, they have been a boon for some helping some individuals find better jobs, increase their wages and in some cases go back to school.”
