I have great news! After several days of working to convince the IRS to streamline the process for individuals to receive their stimulus checks, the IRS has made the process much easier for social security recipients who don’t typically file taxes!

As a result of our efforts, the distribution of economic impact payments will begin in the next three weeks and will be distributed automatically, with no action required for most people. Here’s what we know right now:

• Social Security beneficiaries who are not typically required to file tax returns will now not need to file a 2019 tax return to receive a payment. Instead, payments will be automatically deposited into their bank accounts, or if their check is normally sent by mail, it will be mailed to them. The IRS will use the information on the Form SSA-1099 to generate the stimulus payments to social security recipients who are not required to file a tax return and did not file a return for 2018 or 2019. Since the IRS would not have information regarding any dependents for these individuals, each person would receive $1,200 per person, without the additional amount for any dependents. Therefore, if you have a dependent under 17 and would like to receive the additional $500 credit, you must file your 2019 taxes to receive it.
• New beneficiaries since January 1, 2020 of either Social Security or SSI benefits, who did not file a tax return for 2018 or 2019, need to go to the IRS’s Non-Filer Website to enter your information.
• SSI Recipients with wo qualifying children do not need to take any action in order to receive their $1,200 economic impact payment. The payments will be automatic. SSI Recipients who have qualifying children under the age of 17 should not wait for their automatic individual payment. Instead, you should enter your information here to ensure you receive the $500 per dependent child payment in addition to the $1,200 individual payment. Click here for more information.
• Veterans and their beneficiaries who receive Compensation and Pension (C&P) benefit payments will receive their Economic Impact Payments automatically and without additional paperwork. Click here for more information.
• For people who have already filed their 2019 tax returns, the IRS will use this information to calculate the payment amount. For those who have not yet filed their return for 2019, the IRS will use information from their 2018 tax filing to calculate the payment. The economic impact payment will be deposited directly into the same banking account reflected on the return filed.
• For those who do not have direct deposit information on file with the IRS: By April 17th, the Treasury Department will launch a web-based portal for individuals to provide their banking information to the IRS online. This way, individuals can receive payments immediately as opposed to checks in the mail. The direct deposit method will be faster than waiting for a paper check in the mail. Please check back at irs.gov/coronavirus for updated information. I will also share this website once it is online. Do not, under any circumstances, share your bank account information with anybody who claims to be the IRS unless it is through this official portal.

For answers to additional questions, I encourage you to visit the Frequently Asked Questions section on my website. For the most updated guidance, visit IRS.gov/coronavirus. As always, your 18th District Congressional Offices are open and ready to help. You can contact the office at 202-225-3026 with any individual questions you may have.

Further information regarding the coronavirus for all Americans is available at coronavirus.gov. I also encourage you to sign up for breaking news alerts regarding coronavirus here.