Friday, March 27th, 2020
Dear Clients, Colleagues, and Friends –
Today is a historic day. Both houses of Congress have passed a $2 Trillion stimulus package to help our national economy during the Coronavirus pandemic. As I write this, the bill is going to the White House to be approved by the President. He is expected to do so, as he has voiced support for this package, and urged both the House and the Senate to get it done quickly.
By the time you read this, this stimulus package may already be signed into law and starting to go into effect.
Everyone is asking about the $1200 checks – specifically, “will I get one?”
If the President signs the bill, the vast majority of American households will receive some kind of assistance. This includes people who are receiving Social Security benefits – retirement, SSDI and SSI are all included.
- Single adults (who have a Social Security number) who have an income of $75,000 or less will receive $1200.
- Single people who file as “head of household” earning less than $112,500 will receive $1200.
- Married couples earning $150,000 or less will receive $2400.
- For every household with children under the age of 16, the payment will increase by $500 for each dependent child under age 16 in the household.
The vast majority of people who receive Social Security benefits will get a payment.
Because this stimulus is intended to help people who need it the most, there are some exclusions, however.
For instance, people who make over a certain amount of money will be excluded. Likewise, people who are claimed as dependents on another person’s tax filings will not be included, even if they are an adult.
People and households earning more than the threshold amounts listed above may still get some benefits, but with reduced amounts. Over a certain threshold (earning over $99,000 for a single adult, $198,000 for a married couple with no children, or $218,000 for a married couple with children) there will be no checks issued.
However, we expect that the vast majority of Social Security recipients will qualify for the payment.
When will these checks come?
The government wants these checks out fast. If the IRS has your bank account information from your current 2019 tax filings, they will direct deposit your money. If you have not yet filed your taxes this year, the IRS will mail a check to you.
The government hopes to have the direct deposits & checks coming out within three weeks, although that is an estimate, and not a hard statement of fact at this time.
What do I do if I’ve moved or my check doesn’t show up?
You’ll want to contact the IRS directly. The government has said it will mail all recipients instructions on what to do if the payment has gone missing, and it will likely set up a mechanism to report these types of issues. We have no details on this at this time, so pay attention to the news – this is something that will likely be covered in news reports in the coming weeks.
What if I didn’t file taxes for 2018?
The IRS and government have both said that for people who have not filed taxes for the year of 2018 (meaning, sent their tax forms in during 2019) that this may cause a delay in the issuing of checks to those people.
If you did not file taxes for 2018, you should review the information posted on the IRS website regarding this situation. If you do need to file taxes, the IRS offers a free online portal for doing so.
Will this affect my current application for SSDI/SSI?
No. This stimulus package is intended to provide relief to citizens and the economy. If you receive a check from the government as part of this pandemic response, it will not count against you in terms of your application for benefits.
Friends, this is a big response to a big problem.
We live in troubled, uncertain times. At Citizens Disability, we are pleased to see the government taking action to help everyday people who are caught up in difficult situations. We are very pleased to see that the Social Security Administration is working so hard to keep processing applications and holding hearings. It warms our hearts to see and to hear stories of everyday people all across this country coming together to help one another, keep each other safe, and do what they can to slow the spread of Coronavirus.
As long as we stay calm, keep each other’s health and safety in our hearts and minds, and pull together, we’ll all get through this.
If you have any questions for us about your application or an upcoming hearing, please email us anytime at client@citizensdisability.com.
Please stay safe, keep your chins up, and do what you can to take care of your family, friends, neighbors and, of course, yourself.
Sincerely,
Andrew Youngman
Chief Executive Officer
Citizens Disability
