KHN – Many low-income families continue to benefit from stimulus payment programs, which provide direct deposits that help them complete their monthly budgets and pay for food, energy, and child support.
The third month of 2025 approaches and three government aid programs stand out, which thousands of Americans should be aware of to determine whether they are eligible to receive them.
Sacramento Family First
Sacramento Family First (FFESP) is a pilot program that aims to help 200 selected families improve the well-being of their children while also reducing economic inequality. The program provides a direct monthly payment of $725 for a year, beginning on December 15, 2024, and ending on November 15, 2025.
The fourth payment is scheduled for March 15, and beneficiaries will receive it via direct deposit to the bank accounts associated with their tax return.
Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend
The Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation was established in 1976 to manage the state’s oil revenues and distribute them to its residents, who use the money to help pay for necessities like food, shelter, and health care.
The portion of natural resource earnings distributed by the PFD is intended to ensure that the financial benefits of the state’s oil and gas revenues flow directly to Alaska residents.
The Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation manages the budget, which provides a reliable source of annual income for those who qualify.
Tax refunds in New York
In New York, a rebate program funded by sales tax revenue was implemented, benefiting up to 8.6 million New Yorkers who could receive checks ranging from $300 to $500, following Governor Kathy Hochul’s inclusion of middle-class stimulus in her proposed budget.
The rebate is the state’s first inflation-relief stimulus payment, and it is part of a larger anti-inflation strategy that has seen the state return $5.5 billion to taxpayers in rebates, refunds, and supplemental payments during Hochul’s tenure.
Payments were expected to be distributed in February, but delays in processing the tax refund may push deposits back until March 2025.