Florida's Inflation Relief Checks: Who's Eligible and How Much They'll Receive
The $35.5 million payout is funded mostly by Congress' American Rescue Plan.
What's happening
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has announced that 59,000 families will receive one-time payments of $450 per child to help offset the cost of inflation.
Why it matters
The payouts should arrive in time for the state's sales-tax "holiday," taking place between July 25 and Aug. 7.
Close to 60,000 Florida families received letters earlier this month telling them they'd be receiving $450 payments, the result of a state program intended to help families struggling with inflation -- especially those who foster and adopt children.
Christina Pushaw, spokeswoman for Gov. Ron DeSantis, confirmed on Twitter that "the letters are real." The payout is aligned with First Lady Casey DeSantis's Hope Florida: A Pathway to Prosperity initiative.
"I am on a mission to make sure that no child in Florida goes without hope, happiness, and a home," Casey DeSantis said in a statement. "That means doing everything we can to support those who have stepped up and welcomed these children into their homes."
Eligible families will receive a one-time $450 payment for each child in their care "to offset the costs of rising inflation, especially with a new school year approaching," the letter read, though it reiterated the money can be used for anything, "from buying diapers or fueling up at the pump."
Here's who qualifies for a check, where the money is coming from and when recipients can expect to see their payments.
For more, learn about state stimulus packages across the country including California inflation relief checks and which states are offering gas rebate checks.
Who qualifies for a Florida inflation-relief check?
To be eligible you must be a foster parent, a relative or nonrelative caregiver, or a participant in the Guardian Assistance Program or the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, as of July 1, 2022.
Roughly 59,000 families qualify to receive the payment, according to the Florida Department of Children and Families.
When will recipients receive their Florida inflation-relief money?
The checks have been cut and should arrive before Florida's "back-to-school" sales-tax holiday, which takes place between July 25 and Aug. 7.
How do I apply for an inflation relief check?
You don't need to apply: Letters have been mailed directly to eligible residents, and checks will soon follow. If you believe you are eligible but haven't been notified, you can visit the Florida Department of Children and Families website or call 850-300-4323
Where is the money for these checks coming from?
While other states have pulled rebates and stimulus payments out of tax surpluses, the $35.5 million for Florida's plan comes mostly from the 2021 American Rescue Plan, which included $1 billion to temporarily boost payments to welfare recipients.
The $1 billion would have reverted to the federal government if the state hadn't used it by the end of September, according to the governor's office.