Financial relief heading to New Mexicans this week

Direct deposit payments to hit bank accounts this week, checks to follow

SANTA FE— Gov. Lujan Grisham announced on Wednesday, May 18, 2022, that $200 million in household relief is on its way to over 550,000 New Mexico taxpayers. Taxpayers who receive funds through direct deposit are scheduled to receive at least $250 in relief in the next day. Paper checks for another 200,000 taxpayers will begin going out in the following days and will continue to over the next few weeks.  

“Starting today and throughout the summer, we are putting nearly half a billion dollars back into the pockets of New Mexicans,” said Gov. Lujan Grisham. “Across the country, Americans are grappling with the high costs of essentials. Here in New Mexico, we are doing all we can to provide relief to New Mexico’s families.” 

The rebates being issued this week were approved by the governor and legislature in a special legislative session this spring to help New Mexico households cope with the nationally rising prices of groceries, gasoline, and other expenses.

“Taxation and Revenue employees are working as quickly as possible to get this much-needed cash back to taxpayers,” said Taxation and Revenue Secretary Stephanie Schardin Clarke.

Taxpayers who file individual returns will receive another $250 rebate in August in addition to the funds disbursed this week. Those who file joint returns with a spouse or as heads of household will receive $500 rebates beginning this week and another $500 in August.

The same legislation that authorized the rebates also set aside $20 million for economic relief payments to New Mexicans who do not file state income taxes because of their income levels. Only non-filers may apply for the one-time relief payments of either $500 or $1,000 depending on family size. Applications are open at the Human Services Department website until May 31, 2022, or as long as funding allows.

New Mexicans displaced by wildfires who are unable to receive their mail have multiple options for receiving physical checks. Currently, mail is being sent to the Las Vegas Post Office for Chacon, Guadalupita, and Rociada residents. Residents from these areas may either pick up their mail in person at the Las Vegas Post Office; call 1-800-ASK-USPS to have their mail forwarded to a different address, or call the post office in Las Vegas at 505-425-9387 and request to have their mail delivered once a week to the Taos Post Office if they are temporarily staying in the Taos area. Residents living in any other evacuated area should contact their local post office to receive their mail. The Mora Post Office has now open reopened – Mora residents should contact the post office directly.

Taxpayers who filed their 2021 returns after the April 18 deadline and have not yet been processed will receive their rebates after they are posted. Taxpayers can check the status of their returns on the Department’s Taxpayer Access Point self-service portal.

New Mexicans who did not file a 2021 tax return have until May 31, 2023, to file and receive a rebate, unless they receive a non-filer relief payment. Another rebate of either $250 or $500, depending on filing status, will be issued to taxpayers in July. That rebate, approved during the 2022 regular legislative session, will be sent automatically to New Mexicans who filed 2021 Personal Income Tax returns and had less than $75,000 in income for single filers and married individuals filing separately, or less than $150,000 for married couples filing joint returns, heads of household and surviving spouses.

Taken together, New Mexico families may receive up to $1,500 in relief this year.

More information on the rebates and relief payments is available at tax.newmexico.gov.