Almost every Coloradan eligible for a tax refund check should have it in the mail, if they haven’t cashed it already, according to state officials.
About 2.4 million checks have been sent out, each for $750 for individuals and $1,500 for joint filers. The rebates are due to the state’s $3.5 billion budget surplus and constitutional limits on tax collection.
Department of Revenue spokesperson Suzanne Karrer said there are “a small number” of checks still being processed, but they should be sent out within a week. Of the total sent out, about 1% or 2% may be intercepted due to things like back taxes or unpaid child support.
Coloradans who lived in the state all of 2021 are eligible for the rebate. Eligible people who filed their taxes by June 30, or applied for the 2021 Property Tax/Rent/Heat Rebate Credit, should receive their checks by the end of the month. Eligible Coloradans who have not received the rebate by then should call 303-951-4996. They can also visit https://tax.colorado.gov/cash-back.
So far, more than 55% of the about 2.4 million checks, worth about $1.35 billion, have been cashed, according to state officials.
“We are taking action to provide immediate relief and put money back into the pockets of hardworking Coloradans as we continue our work saving people money and reducing costs of everyday items,” Gov. Jared Polis said in a statement. “Keep an eye out for your tax rebate check coming in the mail throughout the month.”
While the money is required by the state constitution to go back to taxpayers, Polis and his fellow Democrats in the legislature are taking credit for it being returned sooner and as an even-across-the-board amount. The Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, or TABOR, allows for multiple avenues of refunds. Direct cash rebates typically scale with the tax filer’s income level. The legislature passed a law this year to make this rebate equal for all recipients.
It led to criticism from Republicans that Democrats were playing politics with the rebate, including Polis who included a letter with the checks and labeled it the “Colorado Cash Back” instead of a TABOR refund, ahead of the November election.
