Update on Certain VA, SSI recipients
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Rand Paul
Throughout this crisis, my staff and I have worked hard to make sure Kentuckians have the resources they need to support their families and stay healthy, including through holding telephone townhalls to equip them with more information and let them know how my office can help.
On Monday, I talked to Kentuckians from all across the state during my latest telephone townhall, where I took their questions, discussed the pandemic, and reiterated the need to reopen more areas of the country as soon as safely possible.
I enjoyed hearing from our callers, and I want to thank all those who joined us! If you weren't able to attend, you can listen to the event HERE.
And if you haven't yet signed up to be notified about these telephone townhalls and dialed directly into the calls, I hope you'll take just a moment to do so today HERE.
One topic on many minds has been the stimulus checks (officially known as Economic Impact Payments), and my office also received questions on this during Monday's event, including from Teresa in Whitley County, Kentucky, who asked about who needed to be notified regarding getting the stimulus check if bank account information had changed.
So I wanted to be sure you had the latest from the IRS on these payments, including answers to Teresa's question and other frequently asked questions, such as:
- "Who is eligible to receive a Payment?"
- "I haven’t filed a tax return for 2018 or 2019 and don’t need to file tax returns for those years. I receive Social Security, SSI, Railroad Retirement, or Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits. What do I need to do to get a Payment?"
- "Is the Payment includible in my gross income?"
- "How will the IRS know where to send my Payment?"
You can find the IRS' answers to these questions and many more HERE, and you can find another FAQ on their "Get My Payment" tool HERE. They have also recently updated that tool.
You can find the IRS' main Economic Impact Payment page HERE.
Those who are not required to file income taxes can also find a link on that page to a form where they can submit their information to receive the payment.
Update for Certain VA, SSI Recipients
The IRS has sent out an important update, with a May 5 deadline, concerning the Economic Impact Payment for those Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or VA beneficiaries who did not file an income tax return in 2018 or 2019 and have dependents.
From the IRS:
For VA and SSI recipients who have a qualifying child and didn’t file a 2018 or 2019 tax return, they have a limited window to register to have $500 per eligible child added automatically to their soon-to-be-received $1,200 Economic Impact Payment. A quick trip to a special Non-Filers tool on IRS.gov by May 5 for these groups may help put all of their eligible Economic Income Payment into a single payment. The Non-Filers tool is available in English and Spanish.
You can read their entire announcement HERE.
COVID-19 Resources Available
To help Kentuckians navigate response efforts and quickly find the assistance and information they need, my office has created a wide-ranging Coronavirus Resources page.
Our page features links to details on the pandemic, ways to help, Kentucky-specific resources, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, federal agency actions and resources, answers to questions from Kentucky's agriculture community regarding certain SBA relief programs in light of the CARES Act, and more.
If you haven't yet checked it out, just click HERE or on the banner below!
Have an Issue or Concern?
If you are a Kentucky resident and need assistance with a federal agency or with navigating the federal response and ongoing community needs related to COVID-19, please feel free to contact my Bowling Green office at 270-782-8303. One of my staff members will be more than happy to assist you.
Kentucky has also set up a COVID-19 Hotline at 1-800-722-5725.
Stay in Touch with Dr. Paul
You can stay up to date on my latest news and activities by visiting my Senate website, www.paul.senate.gov, or my official Facebook and Twitter pages. You can watch my Senate floor speeches and press interviews at my YouTube channel HERE, and you can sign up to be notified about my telephone townhall events HERE.