Following Calls from Stabenow & Peters, IRS to Automatically Send Stimulus Checks to SSI Beneficiaries

Follows Senators’ Successful Effort Pushing Administration to Reverse Course, Ensure Social Security Beneficiaries Get Automatic Checks

Wednesday, April 15, 2020

U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow (MI) and Gary Peters (MI) welcomed an announcement from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) that the agency will automatically send $1,200 stimulus checks to Americans currently receiving benefits from the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program. Earlier this month the Senators called on the Trump Administration to automatically issue stimulus checks to recipients of benefits through the Supplemental Security Income program, without requiring them to file a tax return. Today’s announcement comes after the Senators’ successful effort earlier this month to push the U.S. Treasury Department to provide Social Security recipients the direct cash assistance included in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Protection Act without having to file a tax return. 

 

“The IRS was right to reverse course and make it easier for millions of seniors and people with disabilities to get their stimulus checks automatically. Now those who need help should get it fast, without having to file a tax return,” said Senator Stabenow.

“After pressing the Administration to automatically send stimulus checks to Supplemental Security Income beneficiaries, I’m glad that the IRS announced it will do so,” said Senator Peters. “This is more effective and should help provide faster relief to the low-income seniors and people with disabilities in Michigan. Now the same must be done for veterans who rely on VA benefits for income.”

 

SSI recipients who have qualifying children under age 17, however, are encouraged to proactively go to the Non-Filers: Enter Your Payment Info section of the IRS’s website to provide their information instead of waiting for an automatic $1,200 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 SSI beneficiaries in this group do not provide their information to the IRS soon, they will have to wait until later to receive their $500 per qualifying child.

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