State relief money in 2025: Federal support programs are finishing this year, so many states now choose to help people on their own. They are using extra budget money to send tax rebates and cost-of-living relief through late 2025 and early 2026. These state plans will matter a lot for millions of families who still struggle with high prices.
IRS Sends Final Recovery Rebate Payments
The Internal Revenue Service is also finishing a big payment push. The agency is sending out money to people who qualified long ago but never got their payment.
The IRS is completing the distribution of “$2.4 billion in payments of up to $1,400 to nearly one million taxpayers.” This is not a new stimulus check. It is the last chance to give out the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit to the people who did not claim it when they first could.
Social Security: These People Will Receive Triple Payments in December 2025
Amounts and dates of the Alaska PFD
Alaska is still giving out money from its oil earnings through its yearly Permanent Dividend Fund. Every person who qualifies will get $1,000.
To receive the payment, people must have lived in Alaska for all of 2024. T
he state will send the money on December 18 to anyone who turned in their application before the December 10 deadline.
What assistance does New York State offer?
The state of New York is using its surpluses to offer direct relief to millions of residents who were affected by the rising cost of living.
- Amount: Checks ranging from $150 to $400.
- Eligibility: It is based on 2023 state tax returns.
- Process: Payments are being sent out in stages, extending until the end of December 2025 and even into early 2026.
Social Security Raises Income Needed to Earn Work Credits Starting in 2026
Refunds in Colorado
Colorado is returning a significant portion of its budget surplus to taxpayers through TABOR (Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights) refunds.
- Amount: It ranges from $177 to $1,130 per taxpayer, depending on marital status and income level.
- Funding: From a $1.7 billion surplus.
- Alert: Future refund amounts (2026 onwards) are projected to decrease dramatically.
ANCHOR Program in New Jersey
New Jersey focuses on helping homeowners and renters cope with high property tax costs.
- Amount: Up to $6,500 in property tax relief.
- Beneficiaries: Homeowners and, in some cases, low-income renters.
- Payments: Many payments are reaching beneficiaries in November and December, following the October 31 application deadline.
