Stimulus Update: Eligible Residents of This State Have Until July 22 to Claim a Check Worth Up to $1,500

Are you eligible to claim your share of the state's stimulus money?

Across the country, states are providing stimulus checks since the federal government has failed to act. But the rules for getting this money into your bank account can be more complicated.

In fact, unlike the federal checks which were broadly issued to most Americans, some payments coming from the states have more narrow eligibility rules. And eligible residents may need to take additional steps to claim their money.

In one state, for example, payments of up to $1,500 per person will be available soon, but only to those who worked during the heart of the pandemic. Those who are entitled to these payments must register, and the deadline to do so is July 22, 2022.

Who is eligible for the $1,500 stimulus payments?

According to the Duluth News Tribune, the state of Minnesota is offering pandemic bonuses to people who worked when the risk of getting COVID-19 was at its peak. A total of $500 million has been allocated and the money is expected to be distributed to as many as 667,000 pandemic workers including:

• Meat packing professionals
• Janitors
• Teachers
• Healthcare workers

Those who continued their jobs during the high-risk period of the pandemic will be eligible if:

• They made under $85,000 as a single tax filer who did not work directly with COVID-19 patients or made under $175,000 as a single filer who did work with COVID-19 patients directly
• They worked a minimum of 120 hours between March 15, 2020 and June 30, 2021
• They did not receive more than 20 weeks of unemployment benefits

Individuals who meet this criteria must register for their payment by July 22, 2022. This can be done online at https://frontlinepay.mn.gov/submit or a phone call can be made to 866-333-7633 for help registering if the online site doesn't work as planned.

How much stimulus money will eligible individuals receive?

The amount each person will receive depends on how many total people register for a payment.

Lawmakers initially estimated that the funding made available would provide enough to send out $750 payments to each worker if everyone who qualified for the stimulus money signed up to get it. But the checks could go as high as $1,500 if signups fall short of what is expected.

Approximately 28,500 workers signed up within three hours of the registration website being launched, but there is still time for others to register as well. The money is not going to be distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis, so anyone who meets the criteria and who submits their details should get a payment.

This is just one example of a state offering stimulus money. You should check with your own state's Department of Revenue to see if any funds are available and, if so, to find out what you must do to claim your share. Don't leave stimulus money on the table if you're struggling.