JEFFERSON CITY — Legislation presented to the Senate Ways and Means Committee this week by State Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer, R-Parkville, will exempt federal COVID-19 stimulus checks from state income taxes. Similar to legislation the senator advanced after the first round of coronavirus stimulus checks in 2020, Senate Bill 405 allows Missourians to keep all of the money received from subsequent rounds of federal relief.
“When the Legislature approved my tax relief bill in 2020 we didn’t anticipate there would be additional stimulus checks coming from the federal government. The legislation I presented this week not only makes the two most recent federal payments tax-free, but also exempts all pandemic-related stimulus payments Congress may authorize in the future,” Sen. Luetkemeyer said. “At a time when the economy is beginning to rebound and Missourians are getting back on their feet, it’s important that every dime of the federal payments go into the pockets of taxpayers, where the money can do the most good.”
Legislation recently enacted by Congress includes direct payments of $1,400 to most Americans earning less than $75,000 per year. A previous stimulus program enacted late last year provided $600 per adult. These follow the original $1,200 per person distribution of COVID-19 relief payments from the federal CARES Act. Without Sen. Luetkemeyer’s legislation, Missouri taxpayers would have to count those payments as income and could owe taxes on the money.
For more information about Sen. Luetkemeyer, visit www.senate.mo.gov/mem34.