More than 8.2 million checks have now been mailed to eligible New Yorkers under the state’s first-ever Inflation Refund Check program.

“(Tuesday) marks the day that over 8.2 million inflation refund checks have been mailed out, putting money back into the pockets of individuals across the state,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a press release. “We followed through on our commitment to deliver meaningful relief to hard-working New Yorkers, and will continue, every day, to look for additional opportunities to deal with the nation’s ongoing affordability challenge.”

Hochul secured the Inflation Refund Check initiative in the FY 2026 State Budget. It’s the largest program of its kind in state history — providing $2.2 billion in direct, unrestricted financial aid to more than 8.2 million New Yorkers.

Over the last two months, inflation refund checks of up to $400 have been mailed to those who meet eligibility criteria. The main phase of large-scale check mailing is now complete. However, checks will continue to be mailed in small numbers in the weeks ahead as the State Tax Department determines that additional taxpayers are eligible.

In Western New York, 585,000 checks were disbursed totaling $152.7 million for recipients.