After the federal government, through the DOGE Department (managed by Elon Musk) left all Americans waiting to receive the “DOGE Dividends”, which have not yet materialized, working families are looking for other stimulus check options. And the truth is that there are some programs still active.
Such is the case of the state of New York, where the Governor Kathy Hochul announced that more than 500,000 households in the Finger Lakes region will receive inflation rebate checks in the coming months. The state budget, approved by lawmakers, also includes tax cuts for 450,000 middle-class families in the same area.
Stimulus payments, tax cuts, tax credits for families in NY
In addition to the stimulus payments and tax cuts, the child tax credit will be expanded, benefiting more than 100,000 families in New York. Hochul stated that these checks will return 2 billion to taxpayers. The amounts will vary depending on income, with payments of up to $400 for households with joint incomes of up to $150,000 annually.
Those who declare income between $150,000 and $300,000 will receive $300. Individual filers with income up to $75,000 will get $200, and those with income between $75,000 and $150,000 will receive $150. The exact date of distribution of the checks has not been specified.
Governor Hochul highlighted that these types of payments are important “now more than ever,” since they provide extremely important economic aid to recipients.
Is there any other stimulus checks program available?
The STAR program offers tax relief to homeowners. Basic STAR provides an average savings of $293 for households with income up to $500,000, and Enhanced STAR offers up to $650 for those 65 and older with income up to $107,300 in 2025. New applicants must apply for the STAR credit, while current applicants can be automatically upgraded.
This program benefits more than 8.2 million taxpayers in the state, including New York City residents. However, there are no specific stimulus check programs exclusive to New York City, beyond these state rebates.
For now, there is no news of new stimulus checks or similar programs of federal scope: Donald Trump’s government has not made progress in the instrumentation and implementation of DOGE dividends, so it is unlikely to happen in the short term, especially in the midst of the tariff trade war that it unleashed against China and other countries.
If you already receive the STAR credit, you will automatically be upgraded to the Enhanced STAR once you turn 65 and meet the income requirements. If you receive the Basic STAR exemption, you must apply for the Enhanced STAR exemption directly through your local assessor once you turn 65 and meet the requirements.