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IRS Confirms Automatic Stimulus Payments for Some Social Security Recipients

Amid confusion resulting from inconsistent federal guidance from the Internal Revenue Service, national aging advocates this week urged Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and the IRS to ensure that older adults receiving Social Security and railroad retirement benefits, even those who do not usually file a tax return, will receive stimulus payments without needing to file one. n4a has joined other advocates in weighing in with the IRS on this remaining issue. 

Facing push-back from Congress and advocates on the initial plan to have non-filers submit a new, simpler tax form to be able to receive their stimulus payments, the IRS reversed course in part, declaring that all retirement and disability Social Security beneficiaries would automatically receive their stimulus payments the same way they receive their Social Security benefits.

However, very-low-income seniors and people with disabilities who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) only or Veterans Affairs (VA) pension benefits and don't file returns are not covered by yesterday's correction, and would still potentially be required to file a return. More information is available on the IRS website.

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