Colorado TABOR Refunds: How Much Money Should Taxpayers Expect?

Colorado Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR) payments next year won’t be funding as many vacations or big purchases as they did last year. The Colorado Department of Revenue has announced the amount in sales tax refunds Coloradans will receive from TABOR, and they’re way lower than in 2024.

Here’s what we know about 2025 TABOR payments in Colorado:

How Will I Receive My TABOR Refund?

The mechanism for receiving refunds is the same as in 2023. Those who file state taxes by April 15, 2025, will receive their TABOR refund as part of their tax filing.

The only year that was not the mechanism for TABOR refunds was in 2022, when the legislature passed the Colorado Cash Back bill, which sent checks to taxpayers in the mail worth $400 per person.

How Much Money Will Be on My TABOR Refund?
Last year, every taxpayer received $800 (or $1,600 if married filing jointly) regardless of income, thanks to a one-year resolution passed by state legislators in 2023. In 2024, the system has returned to being based on income level, so every person will receive less than they did in 2023.

Single filers who make up to $53,000 will receive $177, according to the DOR. Earners from $53,001 to $105,000 will see a $240 refund. People who pull in $105,001 to $166,000 will get $277 in TABOR dollars. For those with incomes between $166,001 and $233,000, the refund will be $323. Individuals who make $233,001 to $302,000 will get $350. The highest earners, those with incomes of $302,001 and up, will see $565 refunds.

For those filing jointly, the amount is double and based on total household income.

What Is TABOR?

TABOR has existed since 1992, when voters passed an amendment to the state constitution. The amendment limits how much tax revenue the government is allowed to keep and use every year. Any revenue generated over the set limit, which is calculated each year based on inflation and state population growth, must be returned to taxpayers. In many cases, taxpayers have voted to let the government keep money over the TABOR limit, but Coloradans still see regular sales tax refunds.

Along with giving citizens refunds, TABOR also mandates that tax increases be referred to voters rather than being imposed by the legislature without voter input. This year, TABOR will reduce state income tax for Colorado filers from 4.4 percent to 4.25 percent, adding an extra refund for taxpayers beyond the sales tax dollar amount. The last time there was an income tax reduction was in 2021, so this represents a change from 2022 and 2023 for filers.