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Golden State Stimulus / one-time payments - HISTORICAL (California's 2021-22 stimulus payments, now ended): who qualified, what was paid, how it worked, and what happens now

The Golden State Stimulus I and II were one-time California payments to certain 2020 tax filers; FTB issued no payment after 15 July 2022 and there is no way to claim one now. The later Middle Class Tax Refund also ended, its cards expiring 30 April 2026. Current cash back from FTB comes through CalEITC on the tax return.

What the Golden State Stimulus was, in one paragraph

The Golden State Stimulus (GSS I and GSS II) was a one-time California payment, made through the Franchise Tax Board (FTB), to certain people who filed 2020 California tax returns (rule:who_was_paid), to support low- and middle-income Californians and those hit by COVID-19 (rule:purpose). It is over. FTB states both rounds are complete and no GSS payment has been issued since 15 July 2022 (rule:program_ended, rule:last_payment). A later one-time payment, the Middle Class Tax Refund, ran from October 2022 to January 2023 and has also ended (rule:mctr_one_time, rule:mctr_ended).

ended 15 July 2022
the last Golden State Stimulus payment date; no payments since (FTB, rule:last_payment)

Who may qualify

No one, now. There is no application, claim or late filing route (rule:no_application).

PaymentWhenStatusRule
GSS Ifor 2020 returnsended; 4.6 million payments, $2.8 billionrule:results
GSS IIfor 2020 returnsended; 8.3 million payments, $6 billionrule:results
Middle Class Tax RefundOct 2022 to Jan 2023ended; cards expired 30 April 2026rule:mctr_ended

Individual payment amounts are not on the FTB page fetched and are UNKNOWN here.

How to apply, and what happens after

There is nothing to apply for. For former Middle Class Tax Refund card holders: the cards expired 30 April 2026, leftover funds return to the State General Fund, and the transaction-history download at MCTRpayment.com closed 31 July 2026 (rule:mctr_ended, rule:mctr_funds_returned, rule:mctr_history_deadline). FTB cannot reissue MCTR payments after 31 May 2024 (rule:mctr_no_reissue).

No FTB page names a successor (rule:successor). The cash back FTB pays today comes through the tax return as CalEITC: see California Earned Income Tax Credit (CalEITC) (cash back on the California tax return for low-wage workers): who qualifies, what you get, how to apply, and what happens next, Young Child Tax Credit (CA) (cash back on the California return for families with a child under 6): who qualifies, what you get, how to apply, and what happens next and Foster Youth Tax Credit (CA) (cash back on the California return for former foster youth aged 18 to 25): who qualifies, what you get, how to apply, and what happens next. No appeal process is stated (rule:appeal_none).

The procedure, stage by stage, as data
JSONThe procedure, stage by stage, as data
4 items
10 keys
"id""stage:discover"
"order"1
"name""Discover"
"what_happens""A person hears of the 'California stimulus check' and looks for a way to claim it; FTB states both payments ended (rule:program_ended, rule:mctr_ended)"
"who_acts""Person"
"timeline""Now: closed since 15 July 2022 (GSS) and 30 April 2026 (MCTR cards)"
"evidence""None"
"failure_mode""Paying a scammer or a site that claims to file for a stimulus that no longer exists"
"model_role""Say plainly the program is closed; point to CalEITC for current cash back"
"automation_class""A"
10 keys
"id""stage:screen_eligibility"
"order"2
"name""Screen eligibility"
"what_happens""No screening is possible; there is no current eligibility"
"who_acts""Model"
"timeline""Minutes"
"evidence""None"
"failure_mode""Being told by a third party that a payment is still owed"
"model_role""State rule:no_application and rule:last_payment"
"automation_class""A"
10 keys
"id""stage:issuance_use"
"order"3
"name""Issuance / use"
"what_happens""MCTR prepaid cards expired 30 April 2026; leftover funds go to the State General Fund; the transaction-history download closed 31 July 2026"
"who_acts""FTB / card program"
"timeline""Ended"
"evidence""Old card or letter"
"failure_mode""Expecting money on an expired card"
"model_role""State rule:mctr_ended, rule:mctr_funds_returned, rule:mctr_history_deadline"
"automation_class""D"
10 keys
"id""stage:overpayment_exit"
"order"4
"name""Overpayment / exit"
"what_happens""Program exit: no reissue of MCTR payments after 31 May 2024 (rule:mctr_no_reissue); no successor named (rule:successor)"
"who_acts""FTB"
"timeline""Ended"
"evidence""None"
"failure_mode""Waiting for a reissue"
"model_role""Point to the ongoing tax credits"
"automation_class""D"

The same facts open other programs

A person who filed a 2020 return to get this payment can collect these each year on a filed return:

What this article shares with the graph
JSONWhat this article shares with the graph
6 keys
"program_id""B077"
"graph""california-benefits-graph"
"related_program_ids" 5 items
"B049"
"B050"
"B051"
"B052"
"B054"
"related_programs" 5 keys
"B049""California Earned Income Tax Credit (CalEITC)"
"B050""Young Child Tax Credit (CA)"
"B051""Foster Youth Tax Credit (CA)"
"B052""Federal EITC"
"B054""Free tax preparation: VITA / TCE + Free File + CalFile"
"triggered_by_events"
"shares_facts_with" 1 key
"household.income.earned_annual" 4 items
"B049"
"B050"
"B051"
"B052"

Official addresses

Related pages
Beside
California Earned Income Tax Credit (CalEITC) (cash back on the California tax return for low-wage workers): who qualifies, what you get, how to apply, and what happens nextYoung Child Tax Credit (CA) (cash back on the California return for families with a child under 6): who qualifies, what you get, how to apply, and what happens nextFoster Youth Tax Credit (CA) (cash back on the California return for former foster youth aged 18 to 25): who qualifies, what you get, how to apply, and what happens nextFederal EITC (the IRS Earned Income Tax Credit for low- and moderate-wage workers): who qualifies, what you get, how to apply, and what happens nextFree tax preparation: VITA / TCE + Free File + CalFile (free ways to prepare and file federal and California returns): who qualifies, what you get, how to apply, and what happens next
References (12)
  1. Golden State Stimulus — California Franchise Tax Board“The Golden State Stimulus I & II programs are complete and no more payments are being issued.”
  2. Golden State Stimulus — California Franchise Tax Board“No new GSS payments have been issued since July 15, 2022.”
  3. Golden State Stimulus — California Franchise Tax Board“This was a stimulus payment for certain people that filed their 2020 tax returns.”
  4. Golden State Stimulus — California Franchise Tax Board“Help those facing a hardship due to COVID-19”
  5. Golden State Stimulus — California Franchise Tax Board“Combined GSS I and GSS II programs delivered”
  6. Middle Class Tax Refund — California Franchise Tax Board“The Middle Class Tax Refund (MCTR) was a one-time payment issued to eligible recipients between October 2022 and January 2023, to provide relief to Californians.”
  7. Middle Class Tax Refund — California Franchise Tax Board“All Middle Class Tax Refund prepaid debit card accounts expired April 30, 2026, and the Middle Class Tax Refund program has ended.”
  8. Middle Class Tax Refund — California Franchise Tax Board“MCTR debit card recipients who would like to download their debit card transaction history must visit MCTRpayment.com and do so by 7/31/2026.”
  9. Middle Class Tax Refund — California Franchise Tax Board“In accordance with the Better for Families Act of 2022, any remaining funds in the prepaid debit card accounts will be returned to the State of California General Fund.”
  10. State managed programs — California Franchise Tax Board“We are not authorized to reissue payments for the MCTR program after May 31, 2024.”
  11. California Earned Income Tax Credit — California Franchise Tax Board“You may be eligible for a California Earned Income Tax Credit (CalEITC) up to $3,756 for tax year 2025 as a working family or individual earning up to $32,900 per year.”
  12. Phone / fax — California Franchise Tax Board“Our contact center services are currently unavailable.”