CHICAGO - Income and property tax rebates will begin being sent to an estimated six million qualified taxpayers beginning today, September 12. The rebates are the result of the Illinois Family Relief Plan, which also provided grocery, gas, and school supply tax savings in addition to the direct payments.

The rebate payments, which will take at least eight weeks to be issued in total, will be sent automatically to Illinois residents who filed 2021 state income taxes and claimed a property tax credit. Those who have not filed can still access the rebates after completing additional filing.

Individuals who made less than $200,000 in 2021 and are not claimed as a dependent on another return will receive $50 rebates. Couples filing jointly with incomes under $400,000 will receive $100. Tax return filers will also receive $100 per dependent they claimed on their 2021 taxes, up to three dependents.

"I'm very pleased to announce that we remain on schedule and the first wave of tax rebate checks will be going out to taxpayers beginning today," Comptroller Susana A. Mendoza said. "My Office will be working diligently to get these rebates into the hands of taxpayers. After all, it's your money. A total of $1.2 billion dollars will be released over the next 6-8 weeks to nearly 6 million taxpayers."

"If direct deposit was used, the rebates will be deposited directly into taxpayers' accounts," said Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR) Director David Harris. "If there was no refund or a paper refund was issued, the rebate will be mailed to the address on file. Taxpayers who did not receive a refund directly from the state of Illinois, such as those who received an advancement of their refund from their preparer, will receive a paper rebate check mailed to the address on file."

The State of Illinois is also providing property tax rebates for eligible homeowners in an amount equal to the property tax credit they qualified for on their 2021 returns, up to a maximum of $300. The rebate is not allowed if a taxpayer's adjusted gross income for the taxable year exceeds $500,000 for returns with a federal filing status of married filing jointly, or $250,000 for all other returns.

IDOR will certify the list of eligible taxpayers and the rebates will be issued by the Comptroller's Office. Though the 2021 tax deadline was April 18, all qualified income tax filers who file on or before October 17, 2022 will be eligible for rebate payments.

More details about how to claim rebate checks:

• For those who have filed state income taxes and claimed a property tax credit for 2021 and are not claimed as a dependent on another return, nothing additional is needed to receive the property and income tax rebates. Payments will be automatic.

• Taxpayers who did not file or are not required to file their 2021 IL-1040 individual income tax returns but want to only claim the individual income tax rebate must file Form IL-1040, including Schedule IL-E/EIC, Illinois Exemption and Earned Income Credit, to report any eligible dependents.

• Taxpayers who did not file or are not required to file their 2021 IL-1040 individual income tax returns but want to claim both the property tax and individual income tax rebates must file Form IL-1040, including Schedule ICR, Illinois Credits, and Schedule IL-E/EIC, Illinois Exemption and Earned Income Credit, to report any eligible dependents.

• Taxpayers who only want to claim the property tax rebate or did not report their property tax information on their 2021 IL-1040 individual income tax return have the option to fill out Form IL-1040-PTR either electronically, or by filling out a paper form and mailing it to IDOR. Form IL-1040-PTR, the Property Tax Rebate Form, is available on IDOR's website at tax.illinois.gov/rebates.

• Taxpayers eligible for both rebates will receive one payment. Rebates will be sent automatically using the same method original refunds were transmitted if they were sent directly to the taxpayer by the State of Illinois.

For additional rebate resources or to check on the status of a rebate, taxpayers may visit tax.illinois.gov/rebates. Taxpayer representatives can also provide assistance at 1-800 732-8866 or 217-782-3336.