Good news is the order of this May for citizens from the state of Georgia. Rebate checks of up to $500 are in store for families deemed eligible to receive this once-off tax rebate. The rebate is the result of legislation signed into law by Governor Brian Kemp.
According to Governor Kemp, House Bill 111 lowered the state’s income tax while House Bill 112 was implemented so as to issue a one-time special refund to citizens in Georgia.
What will each citizen receive?
For citizens in Georgia, the amount received will depend on the citizen’s filling status as well as how much the citizen paid in state income taxes for 2023. As per HB 112, the Georgia Department of Revenue will issue a dollar-for-dollar rebate to eligible families based on certain rules:
- Heads of households: Will receive up to $375
- Married couples filing jointly: Will receive up to $500
- Single filers or married filers filling separately: Will receive up to $250
Contrary to what many people believe, this surplus refund payment is not a flat rate payment. According to Governor Kemp, the state has gone through with issuing similar rebates in years before hence the governor expects the process of rolling out these one-time special refunds to go well. The Georgia Department of Revenue will be using the refund instructions on each taxpayer’s returns to guide the process of issuing out this refund.
The timeline for this payment
The timeline has officially been confirmed for this refund payment. Joe Snowden, director of external affairs and communications at the Georgia Department of Revenue, stated that all timely taxpayers can expect to see their refund payments reaching their bank accounts by late May or early June.
Governor Kemp supported what Joe Snowden had said because at a press conference held on May 12, 2025, the Governor mentioned, “It’s in the works … and you know we’ve done this before…” The hope is that this process will be far smoother this time.
With that hope in mind, citizens in Georgia can expect the earliest payments to be issued by the end of May just in time for the summer holidays. All eligible citizens who filed their taxes can expect to receive up to $500 being sent to them either via direct deposit or via mailed checks. The way citizens will receive payments will depend on the payment method that they have indicated on their tax returns.
The Georgia Department of Revenue suggests that citizens should keep an eye on their mailboxes for any further updates as well as for information on payment schedules.
Who is deemed eligible for these tax rebates?
Citizens in Georgia who are wondering if they are eligible for these tax rebates need to consider a few eligibility criteria rules. The Georgia Surplus Tax Refund will be given to:
- Citizens who filed Georgia individual income tax returns for the tax years of 2023 and 2024.
- Citizens need to be residents of Georgia or at least be part-year residents.
- Nonresidents who earn income from Georgia sources may also be deemed eligible.
- Citizens must have had a state income tax liability for the 2023 tax year.
- Citizens of Georgia should have filed by the May 1, 2025, deadline or they must make the October 15, 2025, deadline if they were granted such an extension.
Citizens in Georgia in particular were granted a tax extension due to Georgia being one of the disaster affected states. Thus, citizens in Georgia will be allowed to meet the October 15, 2025, tax filing deadline if they were granted this added deadline extension. Citizens who file their tax returns by October 15, 2025, will still be deemed eligible for this tax rebate. The only citizens in Georgia who will not be able to claim for this tax rebate are those individuals who have claimed as dependents on someone else’s tax returns.
