Other Initiatives
A Word About the "Old" Stimulus
We are talking about the tax rebate that was the center-piece of last year's stimulus package. While most eligible taxpayers (those that had at least $3,000 in income in 2007 and less than $75,000 if filing single or $150,000 if married and filing jointly) received the maximum amount allowed by the law ($600 per taxpayer, $1,200 if married filing jointly), if you did not receive the full payment, you may be eligible to apply for the "recovery rebate credit." This may be true if your status or circumstances have changed to make you now eligible to receive some or all of the unpaid portion.
According to the IRS you may be eligible if:
you did not receive an economic stimulus payment;
you received less than the maximum economic stimulus payment in 2008 — $600 per taxpayer; $1,200 if married filing jointly — because your qualifying or gross income was either too high or too low;
if your f
amily has gained an additional qualifying child in 2008;
you could be claimed as a dependent on someone else’s tax return in 2007, but you cannot be claimed as a dependent on another return in 2008;
you
did not have a valid Social Security number in 2007 but you did receive one in 2008.
If any of the above applies to you, you should check the IRS website, and/or consult your tax preparer.
Any left over "old stimulus" payment should have been claimed on your 2008 returns, and should be reimbursed to you directly as part of your tax refund or a credit towards your taxes.
Social Security Income Recipients and Veterans Stimulus Payments
The government is in the process of delivering the $250 stimulus payment to veterans and to recipients of social security income.
For those that qualify, but have not yet received their check, the website of the social security administration indicates:
"On
May 7, 2009, the federal government issued the first economic recovery payments
to people receiving Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
benefits. The payments are being issued on a staggered basis throughout the
month of May. Please do not contact us unless you have not received
your payment by June 4, 2009." You can check the SSA
page at: http://www.socialsecurity.gov/payment/ - a link to their FAQ is available there.