Two million Americans could get automatic $970 checks under state proposal – are you eligible?

TWO million Americans could get automatic checks worth $970 under a new proposal in New York.

Governor Kathy Hochul is looking to use $2.2billion to provide property tax rebate checks to homeowners in the state.

Mrs Hochul revealed her plans during her budget proposal on January 18, her first since taking office in 2021.

She is calling for a $216.3billion budget in New York, which would be a 3.1% spending increase, boosting funding for property-tax relief and schools among other industries.

The property tax relief would be known as the Homeowner Tax Rebate Credit and would be provided to low- and middle-income families.

Seniors would also be eligible, as would New York City homeowners.

Mrs Hochul is calling for this one-year program as an extension to the existing Property Tax Relief Credit Program, which expired after 2019.

The benefit would be a percentage of the homeowners' existing STAR benefit, according to the proposal.

New York State's STAR property tax relief program helps eligible homeowners pay a portion of school taxes.

Checks would be delivered to homeowners making up to $250,000 per year and allocated through the STAR program.

The average benefit would be around $970 and would provide relief to more than 2million households in New York.

In New York City, the average benefit would be about $425, and more than 475,000 households would benefit.

Homeowners with an income of less than $75,000 would receive up to $1,050 through the program.

The property tax relief would be issued as an advance credit.

This means that instead of claiming the credit when filing a tax return, New Yorkers would receive the funds sooner.

It is anticipated that the program would begin in the fall as an advance on the 2022 tax year, with the cash "sent directly" to households.

This tax credit applies only to those property-tax-paying households.

The Homeowner Tax Rebate Credit would be in addition to Mrs Hochul's planned middle-class tax cuts.

Her budget also calls for a tax credit for small businesses' Covid-related expenses as well as small business tax relief.

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