In order to qualify for these stimulus checks, a family’s income must be below 300% of the poverty standard, and they cannot have unemployment benefits received in 2021 or a first-round payment. In addition, the family cannot have been a member of a family that has received these funds in the past.
This week, more than 300,000 low-income workers and vital employees in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts began getting their portion of the second wave of stimulus check cash, which totals more than $300,000.
As part of the COVID-19 Essential Employee Premium program that is being implemented by the Baker administration, the $500 incentives were scheduled to begin being distributed on Monday.
The first installment of these payouts, which had been announced in Feb and distributed in March to a total of more than 480,000 individuals, Those who are eligible will get a share of $165 million in June; this is a 330,000 person increase from the last funding cycle.
Who Is Eligible For These Stimulus Checks?
Eligibility will be determined by tax returns submitted to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in 2021. In order to qualify, workers needed to have a yearly salary of at least $13,500 and a family income of no more than 300% of the federal poverty criteria.
For a single individual, the amount is $38,640, while a family of four would need $79,500.
No one who has received a first-round payment or who has received unemployment benefits in 2021 will be eligible for a second-round payment. Executive branch employees in Massachusetts who received a lump sum payment linked to COVID do not qualify.
The first payout was calculated by tax filings in 2020.
