SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Two groups of people are eligible for the Golden State Stimulus, people who file with ITINs who are mostly undocumented, and low-income Californians who get the CalEITC, an earned income tax credit. Many low-income Californians who don’t think they qualify for the Golden State Stimulus could potentially secure payment if they made some taxable income.
Employment Rights Attorney Dana Hadl with Bet Tzedek, an organization that provides legal services to those most in need, explained the crucial element for getting the Golden State Stimulus.
“If you don’t have earned income then you’re not going to qualify,” said Hadl.
That’s because an individual must file a tax return with the state and have taxable earned income.
“It goes from one dollar to $30,000," Hadl explained. "You don’t need to have earned $15,000. You don’t need to have earned $10,000. You know, even if it’s just trace amounts, that’s sufficient."
Even if an individual earns just a few dollars in taxable income, technically, they could still apply as long as they filed their taxes. They would qualify for CalEITC. Many who don’t think you have a “real” job might want to reconsider.
“If you spent time babysitting someone, and you got money for that. Even though that amount might be incredibly small and under the amount that one would tax, it is still earned income. If you’re walking a dog as a chore and being paid for that, then you have earned income,” said Hadl.
Hadl admits, that person would need a receipt for doing that work. Additionally, people who don’t have a bank account or an address shouldn’t consider themselves out of luck.
“You don’t need a bank account to get the stimulus or the CalEITC," said Hadl. "What you do need though is an address in order to have a place to have a check sent to."
Hadl also explained there are other sources for an address than just a house or apartment.
“There are a lot of centers out there and shelters where you can use their address for mailing. If you’re a veteran you can use the VA as an address, you can use a P.O Box. So there are different ways of establishing an address,” she explained.
