Michigan tax credit checks (referred to by some as Michigan stimulus checks) — will be on the way to more than 700,000 families since the state’s expanded working families tax credit became effective a couple of months ago. The rebate checks are based on last year’s state tax return and are separate from any Michigan state tax refund residents will receive for the 2023 tax year.
The expanded tax credit “benefits half the children in Michigan, and moms and dads can use this extra money at tax time to pay the bills, put food on the table, and buy school supplies,” Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said when announcing the payments.
However, not all Michiganians will receive the same amount, and some will receive their checks earlier than others. Here's what you should know.
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Michigan Earned Income Tax Credit checks
The Michigan tax credit checks began being processed on February 13, as part of a $1 billion tax cut package signed last year, but the process is expected to take up to six weeks. That means some eligible taxpayers might not receive a check until the end of March 2024.
The payments are due to an expansion of Michigan's earned income tax credit (Earned Income Tax Credit for Working Families, also called the Working Families Tax Credit) and will average $550 per family. However, some families will receive less or more, and some won’t receive a payment at all. Check amounts depend on several factors for the 2022 tax year, including the following:
- Income
- Number of qualifying children
- Filing status
Michigan’s Working Families Tax Credit is worth up to $2,080 for the 2022 tax year. Eligible taxpayers received up to 6% of the credit as part of last year’s state tax refund. The credit expansion allows for 30% of that amount to be refundable, which means the February checks will refund the remaining 24%.
Who qualifies for a Michigan 'stimulus' check?
If you successfully claimed the Michigan Earned Income Tax Credit for Working Families and qualified for the federal earned income tax credit (EITC) for the 2022 tax year, you can expect a check early in 2024 (assuming you don’t owe Michigan state income tax).
How to claim your Michigan tax credit check: Most eligible taxpayers don’t need to take any action to receive their payment. However, because the state will send all payments via a paper check, your address should be current. If you've moved since filing last year’s state tax return, you can update your address with the Michigan Department of Treasury.
Michigan Working Families Tax Credit
The expanded tax credit also applies to the 2023 tax year, so you could qualify for the additional credit when you file your tax return early in 2024, even if you didn’t last year. You must file a 2023 Michigan tax return to receive the credit for last year. You must also meet the following criteria:
- Have earned income (for example, wages from a job or self-employment income)
- Qualify for and claim the 2023 federal EITC
- Either have been a part-year or full-year Michigan resident for 2023 (even if you did not have positive Michigan taxable income) or have Michigan taxable income for 2023 (even if you were not a resident)
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