The checks are about to go out in the mail.

The Georgia Department of Revenue will begin issuing one-time state income tax refunds to taxpayers this week, Gov. Brian Kemp announced Monday.

The General Assembly approved the rebate – the third this decade – during this year’s legislative session.

“Because we’ve managed our state’s resources wisely, we’re again able to return money to hardworking Georgians who know best how to use it,” Kemp said. “Along with our acceleration of the largest income tax rate cut in state history, this latest refund is just one more way we’re working to support the people of our state, their families, and their businesses.”

Single taxpayers and married people filing separately will receive a rebate of up to $250, with $375 going to heads of households and $500 headed to married couples filing jointly.

The state issued previous one-time tax rebates in 2022 and 2023. Most eligible taxpayers who filed both 2023 and 2024 individual income tax returns in a timely manner, have paid into the system, and do not owe the state any taxes can expect to receive a rebate within the coming weeks.

Taxpayers can check their eligibility using the Surplus Tax Refund Eligibility Tool, available through the Georgia Tax Center, by inputting their tax year, Social Security or Tax Identification Number, and Federal Adjusted Gross Income.

How to Read and Understand the News

Truth doesn’t bend because we dislike it.
Facts don’t vanish when they make us uncomfortable.
Events happen whether we accept them or not.

Good reporting challenges us. The press isn’t choosing sides — it’s relaying what official, verified sources say. Blaming reporters for bad news is like blaming a thermometer for a fever.

Americans have a history of misunderstanding simple things. In the 1980s, A&W rolled out a 1/3-pound burger to compete with McDonald’s Quarter Pounder. It failed because too many people thought 1/3 was smaller than 1/4. If we can botch basic math, we can certainly misread the news.

Before dismissing a story, ask yourself:

  • What evidence backs this?
  • Am I reacting to facts or feelings?
  • What would change my mind?
  • Am I just shooting the messenger?

And one more: Am I assuming bias just because I don’t like the story?

Smart news consumers seek truth, not comfort.

Dave Williams | Capitol Beat News Service

Dave Williams is the Bureau Chief for Capitol Beat News Service. He is a veteran reporter who has reported on Georgia state government and politics since 1999. Before that, he covered Georgia’s congressional delegation in Washington, D.C.