New York Mails POWER Energy Rebate Checks
Eligible taxpayers will receive $100 to $200 checks under a one-time state program running through December 2026.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Taxes
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New York has begun mailing POWER energy rebate checks of $100 to $200 to eligible taxpayers, with mailings continuing through December 2026. The one-time payment is included in the 2026-27 state budget and is separate from the inflation refund checks mailed in fall 2025.
Why it matters
The program is set to distribute about $1 billion to roughly 8.2 million New Yorkers, with payment amounts tied to filing status and 2024 income. Recipients do not need to apply, so the checks arrive automatically by mail.
The state budget allocates about $1 billion across roughly 8.2 million New Yorkers, with payments of $100, $150, or $200 depending on filing status and 2024 income up to $300,000. The department's contact center cannot confirm when any individual check will be delivered.
The players
New York State Department of Taxation and Finance
The state agency responsible for administering personal income tax in New York, which is issuing the POWER rebate checks.
The details
Checks go to the most recent address the department has on file, including for people who got refunds by direct deposit. Eligible recipients must have timely filed a full-year 2024 New York resident income tax return, including returns filed under a valid extension, and cannot have been claimed as someone else's dependent.
Timeline
Fall 2025: Inflation refund checks were generally mailed, separate from POWER payments.
2026-27 state budget: The POWER rebate program was included in the budget.
September through December 2026: POWER rebate checks are mailed during this window.
December 2026: POWER rebate mailings continue through this month.
Market Dynamics
POWER follows the fall 2025 inflation refund checks as a separate round of state payments, with the department noting the two programs are distinct. The one-time rebate is funded through the 2026-27 state budget rather than a recurring tax change.
Eligible New Yorkers do not need to apply, and checks will arrive by mail to the address on file with the state. Recipients who were paid refunds by direct deposit should still expect a paper check to the address the department has recorded.
The takeaway
Confirm that your New York return was filed for 2024 and that your mailing address is current with the state, since checks will go to that address. Expect delivery through December 2026 and direct any questions to the department's contact center, which cannot give individual payment dates.
What happens next
POWER rebate mailings continue through December 2026, when the program's distribution window closes.
Further reading
For related coverage, see Taxes in New York's personal finance section.
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