The General Assembly announced Friday that a bill had been filed to provide $300 in direct payments to Delaware taxpayers to help with the rising cost of gas and other necessities.
Here’s what to know about the rebate program, and when you can expect to receive the money:
What is the rebate program?
Under the plan, which has the support of Gov. John Carney, a $300 direct payment would go to every resident who filed a 2020 tax return. This is likely the first time Delaware has ever done a rebate program, lawmakers said.
Since the state has an unprecedented $1 billion surplus, lawmakers said they saw a rebate program as the best way to provide quick relief to Delawareans experiencing financial strain.
Who gets a $300 rebate check?
The payment will go to anyone who filed a tax return in 2020, which is an estimated 600,000 residents.
There are some residents who did not file a tax return, specifically seniors and low-income residents.
House Majority Leader Valerie Longhurst said in a statement that lawmakers “plan to include language in the forthcoming legislation to capture those residents and ensure they receive this relief rebate.”
Lawmakers are drafting the bill, she said, so the “exact details are still being worked out.”
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What if I filed jointly?
The rebate is for every individual tax filer regardless of filing married, jointly or separately, so a married couple would get $600.
Where is the rebate money coming from?
For months, Delaware lawmakers expected to have a whopping $824 million in extra revenue for this fiscal year. The Delaware Economic and Financial Advisory Council recently projected that there will be an additional $206 million in revenue for this fiscal year, resulting in a surplus of $1 billion.
When can I expect to receive my rebate?
Lawmakers said they expect to vote on the measure next month. It’s expected to sail through the General Assembly quickly because it is backed by Democratic and Republican leadership.
Rep. Valerie Longhurst, House majority leader, said the hope is for residents to receive the money before June 30.
Contact Meredith Newman at (302) 256-2466 or at mnewman@delawareonline.com. Follow her on Twitter at @MereNewman.
