New guidance for COVID-19 economic impact payments for Social Security
Published 3:00 pm Monday, April 13, 2020
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The Treasury Department launched a new web tool allowing quick registration for economic impact payments for eligible individuals who do not normally file a tax return, and also announced it would begin making automatic payments, according to a press release. However, for some people receiving benefits from the Social Security Administration — specifically those who have dependent children under the age of 17 — it is to their advantage to go to this portal to ensure they also get the $500 per dependent economic impact payment. Social
Security Commissioner Andrew Saul encouraged them to do this as soon as possible, and wanted to provide the following details:
People who receive Social Security retirement, survivors or disability insurance benefits and who did not file a tax return for 2018 or 2019 and who have qualifying children under age 17 should now go to the IRS’s webpage at www.irs.gov/coronavirus/economic-impact-payments to enter their information instead of waiting for their automatic $1,200 economic impact payment. By taking proactive steps to enter information on the IRS website about them and their qualifying children, they will also receive the $500 per dependent child payment in addition to their $1,200 individual payment. If Social Security beneficiaries in this group do not provide their
information to the IRS soon, they will have to wait to receive their $500 per qualifying child.
The same new guidance also applies to SSI recipients, especially those who have qualifying children under age 17. To receive the full amount of the economic impact payments you and your family are eligible for, go to the IRS’s Non-Filers: Enter Payment info page at www.irs.gov/coronavirus/economic-impact-payments and provide information about yourself and your qualifying children.
Additionally, any new beneficiaries since Jan. 1 of either Social Security or SSI benefits who did not file a tax return for 2018 or 2019 will also need to go to the IRS’s Non-Filers website to enter their information.
Lastly, for Social Security retirement, survivors or disability beneficiaries who do not have qualifying children under age 17, you do not need to take any action with the IRS. You will automatically receive your $1,200 economic impact payment directly from the IRS as long as you received an SSA-1099 for 2019.
For SSI recipients who do not have qualifying children under age 17, the administration continues to work closely with the Treasury in its efforts to make these payments automatically, the release stated. It will not consider economic impact payments as income for SSI recipients,
and the payments are excluded from resources for 12 months.
The eligibility requirements and other information about the economic impact payments can be found at www.irs.gov/coronavirus/economic-impact-payment-information-center. In addition, continue to visit the IRS at www.irs.gov/coronavirus for the latest information.