New York state sent out inflation refund checks to dead people, according to a new report from News10NBC.
Valerie Liles told the local station that she received a $200 check from New York this month for her father, Richard Dusing, who died in May
“I just never expected they would send a check to someone who’s been deceased for, what was it, 6-7 months?” Liles said.
Why It Matters
New York sent out inflation refund checks in an attempt to help residents navigate increasing prices, with payments of up to $400 mailed out to eligible New Yorkers.
However, some dead people were included in the list, causing widespread confusion.
What To Know
The inflation rebate checks New York issued are up to $200 in value for single state tax filers and $400 for joint filers, based on income reported in 2023.
Due to this, dead New Yorkers who filed a 2023 state tax return often still had inflation refund checks sent to their address.
The New York State Department of Taxation and Finance has said that those who receive a check made out to their deceased family member or loved one should contact the department to clarify if they are the estate administrator or beneficiary.
If they are not, the check is not to be used.
It is so far unclear how many dead people inadvertently received the payments, but Liles said she dealt with repeated phone calls to state agencies to figure out what to do with the payment.
“I mean, it’s like they’re willy-nilly picking a year, sending checks out. They don’t even know if these people are dead or alive. It’s just bizarre,” Liles said.
Long term, repeated errors like this could undermine public confidence in relief efforts, said Michael Ryan, a finance expert and the founder of MichaelRyanMoney.com. It also opens the door to abuse or fraud as checks intended for residents could end up wrongly cashed.
“On one hand, the refund initiative was well-intentioned. A fast way to deliver aid to households hurting from inflation,” Ryan told Newsweek.
“On the other hand, this kind of slip-up shows the danger of ‘mass mail-outs’ when data integrity (like updated life status) isn’t enforced.”
What People Are Saying
Michael Ryan, a finance expert and the founder of MichaelRyanMoney.com told Newsweek: “A refund is only helpful if it’s precise. Sending checks blindly to anyone on file might put money ‘in the mail’ fast… But it also risks money going to the wrong people. If I were advising a state government, I’d say: build in a death-record check or require simple estate verification before issuing these checks. That extra step costs you some time, but protects integrity.”
Alex Beene, a financial literacy instructor for the University of Tennessee at Martin, told Newsweek: “Anyone who qualified based on their 2023 tax filing would automatically receive a check, which certainly makes the process easy and efficient for most New Yorkers. At the same time, unfortunately, some who qualified based on their 2023 tax status have passed in the time since and could still receive a check.”
What Happens Next
Those who receive these checks for a deceased loved one should contact the State Department of Taxation and Finance immediately.
“It’s still possible if you are the legal beneficiary of that individual’s state, you could have access to those funds, but you need to verify that from a designated official,” Beene said.