Looking for Your Heat Assistance Check? First Round Goes Out This Week.

They always say... the check's in the mail.

When I was a kid, my mom was the queen of surprises. She'd sometimes make up these elaborate tales to throw someone off the scent of one of her schemes. They were harmless schemes... Always meant to add to the excitement of an already over-the-top event. If she can elevate that experience in any way, she always will.

My point is, there's something to be said for keeping the details of an event a secret until the time is right. Give up the secret too soon, and it spoils the surprise. Or, it can make people anxious. Folks know what's coming, but now you've made them hyper-aware that the "thing" hasn't happened yet. Just like the heat relief stimmies...

I can't remember how long it's been since the idea was floated.

It seems like months ago that the state was talking about trying to get out some kind of financial assistance to all Mainers to defray some of the cost of heating homes. But naturally, thanks to tons of red tape and bureaucratic bullcrap, it took well into winter to get the checks out. But the wait is finally almost over.

The first round of $450 checks from the State of Maine are due to start being mailed out this week. It seemed like the intent was to start getting them out a week or two ago, but see previous comments about red tape and bureaucracy. But if you are a single people will get the $450, and families could get as much as $900.

Being sent out at the rate of 200,000 per week, the state hopes to have them all out by the end of March, according to WABI. It's unclear how the order is chosen, be it alphabetical or what, but you can start looking for your money any time going forward.

Here's the order of who really needs the money, and who might not...