Updated August 16, 2021
Select California families and households are eligible to receive Golden State Stimulus payments starting in September.
There are two Golden State Stimulus programs, and you can learn more about them, qualifications and estimated payments on the state of California website. Golden State Stimulus I payments of between $600 and $1,200 will be paid to families and individuals who received the California Earned Income Tax Credit (CalEITC). Golden State Stimulus II payments of $600 will go to families and individuals who reported income of $75,000 or less. Both programs require recipients to have filed their 2020 tax return.
SAFE is committed to getting you these funds as quickly as possible. If you currently have a negative balance on your account, please call us at (800) SEE-SAFE so we can work with you to provide you full access to your stimulus funds.
Updated March 12, 2021
Another round of stimulus payments are on their way to many U.S. residents after the American Rescue Package was signed into law on March 11, 2021. As a part of this package, the U.S. Treasury will be distributing coronavirus economic impact payments to eligible taxpayers.
SAFE is committed to getting you these funds as quickly as possible. The first payments arrived at SAFE on Friday, March 12, and we immediately posted those funds to accounts for members' use. If you don't have your direct deposit information on file with the IRS, you may receive through USPS a paper check or debit card with the funds loaded on it. Remember, you can deposit your paper checks quickly through the SAFE Mobile App using the camera on your smartphone.
If you currently have a negative balance on your account, please call us at (800) SEE-SAFE so we can work with you to provide you full access to your stimulus funds.
The IRS and U.S. Treasury continue to post helpful information on https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus and https://home.treasury.gov/news/featured-stories/treasury-department-begins-sending-economic-impact-payments-from-the-american-rescue-plan-to-americans. They encourage people to check their websites often for updates.
Also, be wary of scams surrounding the payments. Keep in mind that the government will not charge you to get the money, and no one can obtain the funds for your early or in another way than how the government will send it to you.
If you haven’t received your payment
SAFE is processing the direct deposits as they come in from the U.S. Treasury Department, and SAFE is unable to check the status of your payment if it has not yet reached us. Here are some steps you can take if you were expecting a direct deposit and you have not seen it come in yet.
- Are you checking the correct account? The Treasury Department sent the direct deposits to the accounts the IRS uses for your electronic tax refunds. You can see which bank account you directed the IRS to use for refunds you may have received on your most recent tax return.
- Does your tax preparer use an account for your tax refunds? Some tax preparers set up bank accounts to collect their clients’ tax refunds before forwarding it to them. In that case, the IRS links your information to your tax preparer’s account. In this latest round of stimulus payments, it’s estimated that as many as 20 million payments were deposited into such tax preparer accounts. Check with your tax preparer to see whether your payment went to their account.
- Check the IRS “Get My Payment” portal. You can look up the status of your payment at this site.
Economic impact payment overview
If you received a stimulus payment through direct deposit under the two previous stimulus bills earlier in 2020, the U.S. Treasury will send this new round of payments to that same account. If you received a paper check and you did not update direct deposit information with the IRS, either through its portal or on your tax return, then you will likely receive a paper check this round, too.
Tax filers with adjusted gross income up to $75,000 for individuals and up to $150,000 for married couples filing joint returns will receive the full payment.
Steps for timely notification of payment delivery
If you anticipate receiving a payment by direct deposit or mailed check, follow these steps to prepare for timely notification of payment delivery to your account:
- Make sure you have SAFE Online Banking and Mobile App* set up.
- Make sure your contact information is correct in Manage Contact Information.
- Activate your Text Banking function.
- Turn on your Large Deposit alerts.
*For mailed check: ensure you have the Mobile App set up to deposit check with the use of your mobile phone.
Helpful FAQ links:
How do I set up Online Banking?
How do I set up Checking and Savings account alerts?
Visit the IRS website for more information
Find answers to additional questions, including:
- Who is eligible for the economic impact payment?
- How will the IRS know where to send my payment?
- The IRS does not have my direct deposit information. What can I do?
- I am not typically required to file a tax return. Can I still receive my payment?
- How can I file the tax return needed to receive my economic impact payment?
- I have not filed my tax return for 2019 or 2020. Can I still receive an economic impact payment?
- I need to file a tax return. How long are the payments available?
