12. Maine – $850 Direct Relief Payments

On April 20th, 2022, Janet Mills, the Governor of Maine, approved a supplemental budget, which means that she authorized $850 in direct relief payments to residents.

Eligible applicants need to be permanent residents with an adjusted gross income below $100,000 ($150,000 for single filers who file as the head of the family and $200,000 for married filers who file jointly). Meanwhile, there will be a $1,700 check sent to married couples filing jointly.

According to sources, taxpayers can qualify for this direct relief payment whether they owe income to the state of Maine or not. For those who didn’t file a state tax return in 2021 and want to get their payment, they can still file by October 31st.

These one-time payments, which were made possible thanks to the state’s surplus, started being sent to Maine residents in June. The amount received depends on the amount of taxes paid to the state in 2021. Besides that, the supplementary budget increases Maine’s Earned Income Tax Credit benefits.