Georgia Surplus Refunds: What To Know As Tax Filing Deadline Nears

GEORGIA — With the tax filing deadline approaching Tuesday, residents qualified to receive the pending state surplus refunds of up to $500 are reminded to file their 2022 tax returns on time.

A $1 billion state income tax refund was made available to benefit taxpayers after Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed House Bill 162 into law on March 14. The first round of refunds is slated to go out six to eight weeks after the bill was signed.

Similar to last year, single tax filers and married individuals who file separately could receive a maximum refund of $250, head of household filers could receive a maximum refund of $375 and married individuals who file joint returns could receive a maximum refund of $500, based on a person's or couple’s tax liability.

Taxpayers must file their returns either by the April 18 deadline or by their valid extension date to receive the surplus tax refunds, said Austin Gibbons, the department's director of external affairs and communications.

Gibbons told Patch filing an extension will delay when a person will receive his or her surplus refund, including those who have filed extensions for storm relief.

Taxpayers in Butts, Crisp, Henry, Jasper, Meriwether, Newton, Pike, Spalding and Troup counties were given extension deadlines of May 15 as they were impacted by severe weather on Jan. 12.

"The department intends to build on last year’s success when most refunds were in people’s bank accounts by July 2022," he said. "The surplus refund will be deposited based on regular refund instructions."

If taxpayers chose to receive their regular state refund via direct deposit, they will receive their surplus refunds the same way. Those who did not elect to use direct deposit for their regular refunds will receive paper checks.

"If a taxpayer owed less than those amounts for tax year 2021, then they will be refunded their 2021 tax liability," Gibbons said.

A facts-and-question page will be live on the DOR's website in about two weeks, he said.

Georgia taxpayers will also have the ability to check the status of this special tax refund via an additional tool on the DOR website, expected to launch in coming weeks.