MAINE, USA — Gov. Janet Mills said the first round of $450 one-time heating assistance checks have been sent. Maine Revenue Services plans to continue issuing an estimated 200,000 checks per week, with the vast majority of qualifying Mainers expected to receive their payment by the end of March.
An estimated 880,000 Mainers qualify for the check, according to the Maine Department of Administrative and Financial Services.
There is nothing an individual needs to do to claim their payment, according to the governor's office.
Eligible recipients are those who filed their 2021 Maine individual income tax return by October 31, 2022, are not claimed as a dependent on another’s return, and have earned a Federal adjusted gross income of less than:
- $100,000 if filing single or if married and filing separately;
- $150,000 if filing as head of household; or
- $200,000 for couples filing jointly.
"There are no delays anticipated in mailing the $450 checks," Sharon Huntley, director of communications for the Maine Department of Administrative and Financial Services, said. "This is because those who are eligible for the payments are individuals who have already filed their 2021 tax returns and, thus, are already known and in the system."
For additional details on Maine's energy relief check program, visit Maine.gov/energyrelief.