The Colorado Stimulus Check for 2025 is part of the state’s TABOR refund system, a constitutional requirement that returns extra state revenue back to taxpayers. When Colorado collects more money than the annual spending limit allows, the surplus must be refunded. For the 2024 fiscal year, the surplus reached $293.3 million, which triggered the 2025 Colorado stimulus payments.
These payments are tied to the income you reported on your 2024 federal tax return, so the refund varies from person to person. This makes the Colorado Stimulus Check 2025 a structured tax rebate rather than a flat, universal payout.
What the Colorado Stimulus Check Is
The Colorado Stimulus Check is a refund that comes from extra sales tax revenue collected in 2024. The payment is issued under the state’s TABOR law. This refund is not based on financial hardship. It is based strictly on state revenue exceeding the legal limit.
Your adjusted gross income (AGI) determines how much you receive:
- Single filers earning $0–$53,000 receive about $177.
- Middle-income brackets receive refunds ranging from $240 to over $400.
- Single filers earning above $302,000 receive the maximum of $565.
- Married couples filing jointly receive double their bracket amount, up to $1,130.
This income-based structure is what sets the Colorado TABOR refund apart from standard stimulus programs.
Who Will Get the Colorado Stimulus Check in 2025
Eligibility for the Colorado Stimulus Check is based on residency, age, and tax-filing status. A person qualifies if they meet all of the following:
Permanent Colorado Residency
You must have lived in Colorado for the entire year of 2024. Partial-year residents and nonresidents do not qualify.
Age Requirement
You must be 18 or older before January 1, 2024.
Filed a Colorado State Tax Return
A Form DR 0104 tax return must be filed. This is how the state calculates and issues the Colorado Stimulus Check.
Low-income residents who file for the PTC Rebate (Property Tax, Rent, or Heat Rebate) will automatically have the TABOR refund included. No extra application is needed.
Not Claimed as a Dependent
Anyone listed as a dependent on another person’s tax return is not eligible for the Colorado Stimulus Check 2025.
No Income Cap
There is no income limit for eligibility. The refund amount simply changes based on income level.
When Colorado Stimulus Check Payments Will Start
The Colorado stimulus payments began going out in mid-October 2025. The payment schedule depends on when your tax return was filed and the payment method you selected.
Colorado Stimulus Check Payment Dates
- Filed early or electronically:
Payments are being completed between October and December 2025. - Filed by the standard deadline:
Most eligible residents will receive their Colorado tax refund before the end of 2025. - Filed with a tax extension (up to October 15, 2025):
Payments will continue into early 2026.
How Payments Are Issued
- Direct deposit is processed first.
- Paper checks are mailed to the address listed on your tax return if no bank details were provided.
As of November 2025, state data shows that over 70 percent of eligible taxpayers have already received their Colorado Stimulus Check or have a payment currently processing.
