$1,600 Stimulus Check: Age Requirements Explained

Up to $1,600 of state stimulus checks have begun being distributed to Coloradans who qualify by the Colorado Department of Revenue. The program is meant to help offset skyrocketing inflation, although the program is targeted mostly at Colorado residents in certain age ranges or circumstances.

The stimulus check isn’t given to everyone. The program is designed especially for those aged 65 and above, says Colorado’s tax authorities. One of the major stipulations in order to apply for this stimulus is to have crossed this age by the close of the fiscal year. However, there is an exception to this rule: This financial support is also available to individuals under the age of 65 who can show they have a disability.

Who qualifies for the stimulus check?

This payment was supposed to help people whose lives have become more expensive as a result of inflation. The aim is to make up for the basics: food, utilities and medicines. There are, however, other important qualifications in addition to the age criteria. Two of the main requirements are that applicants had to have resided in Colorado for the entire year 2023. In order to receive the stimulus check, you must be a full-time resident during the time frame.

Additionally, potential applicants need to have low income. The first one are single people who can’t have made more than $18,026 of income in the course of per year, and secondly, couples who will file jointly will have to have made under $24,345 of money in the course of per year. The income limits on these grants are a crucial element to ensure that aid gets where it’s most needed.

Also Read: SNAP Benefits: $1,756 Payments in 5 States by Oct 23 – Check Eligibility

When will the payments be distributed?

On October 5, 2024, payments started being made. Your stimulus check can be delivered to you in different ways depending on how you chose to make the payment. Anyone who selected direct deposit should already be getting their money from that date, with anyone who chose a paper check receiving their money from Oct. 15, 2024.

Your application deadline is by December 25, 2024, if you haven’t already submitted your application. After this date, the payment would have to be processed anywhere between 10 and 12 weeks. If you meet the criteria but have not been paid, you should visit the Colorado Department of Revenue’s website to file your claim.

Steps to apply for the stimulus check

Steps to apply for the stimulus check

The application process is simple if you are eligible for this stimulus. You will have to have your Social Security Number (SSN) or your Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN). To do it, you have to apply through the Colorado Department of Revenue’s online portal without much hassle.

The program for this financial aid is known as TABOR (Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights) for individual tax payers that get $800 and couples that file their tax returns jointly get $1,600.

Key deadlines for filing

There are two important deadlines to keep in mind, depending on your tax situation:

  • If you turned 18 or older in the 2023 fiscal year and do not owe taxes in Colorado, you can fill out Form DR 0104 by April 1st, 2024. That includes people who owe no tax and aren’t expecting to get any of it back through wage withholding.
  • You are required to file your tax return in Colorado by October 15, 2024, if you have a tax liability, or expect a refund from wage withholding.

Also Read: 2.6M Seniors at Risk of Missing Social Security Benefits: Here’s Why

Navigating inflation’s impact on daily life

Many households are struggling with the extra cost of living, so the state stimulus payments come at a timely moment. More or less everything has been hit by the inflation axe—from groceries to utilities. But for retirees or people with disabilities on fixed incomes, the rising expenses can feel particularly crushing.

While the stimulus check doesn’t automatically fix what’s broken over the long term, it’s meant to provide short-term relief that can help people navigate the time in between until things get back to normal.

This assistance for many could be the difference between being able to afford necessary medications or putting off the simplest of purchases. The state’s initiative is all the more important in easing some of the financial pressures on its residents. Inflation has hit essential goods and services the hardest.

Why limited-income residents are prioritized

The income thresholds set by the Colorado Department of Revenue make sure we’re helping people who need it the most. This limits eligibility by income, and the state can focus the funds on the households experiencing inflation the most. The caps, $18,026 for individuals and $24,345 for couples, take into account that many people in these income brackets face difficulty keeping the roof over their heads, much less being able to afford the basics when inflation suddenly spikes.

This is particularly relevant for seniors, especially. Many people retire on fixed incomes—Social Security or pension plans—that don’t keep pace with inflation. Although seniors who can afford to feed themselves can still shop for food, these payments can offer some help for seniors who are struggling to extend their paychecks in the face of prices for everything from prescription drugs to home utilities going up.

What to do if you don’t receive your payment

If you know you meet all of the eligibility and the payment hasn’t arrived, there are things you can do. In order to check the status of your application, head to the Colorado Department of Revenue website. You will also find out in there when the payment is expected to arrive. Processing times can cause payments to be delayed, even in some cases, for those who chose to be paid with a paper check.

If you haven’t received your stimulus and it has passed a reasonable amount of time after applying, it may be worthwhile to call the department directly to make sure everything went as planned on your end. Remember that during such changes, applications submitted around or shortly before December 25 generally face longer wait times because there is more volume of applications to process.

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