Commissioner Statement on Economic Impact Payments
Reading Time: 3 MinutesLast Updated: March 25, 2021
I want to provide an important update about the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) processing of Economic Impact Payments (EIPs) under the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act.
At each turn over the last 12 months, immediate delivery of EIPs has been, and remains, a top priority for this agency. SSA’s public service mission is squarely focused on many of those who are most economically-vulnerable in our society and we owe it to our beneficiaries to ensure they receive their EIPs right away. In fact, it was the substantial efforts of SSA that successfully overcame the fact that the IRS did not have a mechanism to automatically identify Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients, some of the most financially insecure people in America. It was SSA that pushed the prior Administration and Congress to allow us to send to IRS a file of those individuals, who do not receive forms SSA-1099, so that IRS could automatically issue EIPs to them.
Since the time that discussions began regarding issuance of EIPs in the ARP Act, weeks before passage, we have worked tirelessly with our counterparts at IRS to provide to them the information they need to issue payments to our beneficiaries. Despite the fact that Congress did not directly provide SSA funding to support our work on EIPs, we have provided countless hours of assistance to IRS consistent with the laws that establish how we may use the Trust Funds that every American counts on us to protect.
SSA discussed with Treasury and IRS, both before passage and after enactment of the ARP Act, that the Social Security Act does not allow the agency to use our administrative appropriation to conduct work on any non-mission provision or program. Accordingly, we were not authorized to substantively engage Treasury or IRS prior to the ARP’s passage. Instead, upon passage, we were required to pursue a reimbursable agreement with IRS because we received no direct appropriation through the ARP Act. From the outset of discussions, we kept congressional staff apprised of the hurdles this approach would create for SSA, and we have continued to update them on our progress with IRS as we completed the required interagency agreements.
Once we were free to move forward, we aggressively worked with Treasury and IRS to issue payments. As a result of our efforts, we successfully signed the reimbursable agreement and a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) less than one week after passage, on March 17. That process often takes weeks or months to complete, but we got the job done in a matter of days. A few days later, on Monday, March 22, SSA sent initial test files to IRS. IRS confirmed testing success on Wednesday, March 24. Production files were delivered to IRS before 9 AM on Thursday, March 25 – more than a week sooner than we were able to provide a similar file to IRS during the first round of EIPs.
While we were working through the agreements with IRS that would fund our efforts to support issuance of EIPs, we were also protecting the integrity of the EIP program by updating the files that IRS will use to issue payments to our beneficiaries. Those updates to our files ensure that payments go to correct bank accounts and addresses, and, that those who are deceased are removed from the files. In short, Social Security employees have literally worked day and night with IRS staff to ensure that the electronic files of Social Security and SSI recipients are complete, accurate, and ready to be used to issue payments. There is no one more committed to serving the public than the employees of this agency, and there should be no doubt whatsoever that they are striving each day to serve the vulnerable populations to whom they have committed their careers. I find any insinuation to the contrary to be unacceptable.
I assure you that we will continue to do all we can to support implementation of the ARP Act.
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Tags: American Rescue Plan, Commissioner, Economic Impact Payments, social security, SSI
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Andrew Saul, Commissioner, Social Security Administration
Commissioner of Social Security Administration (June 17, 2019 - July 9, 2021)
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Amy
Hey my name amy I am getting a stimulus payment because all the information is so confused so I’m asking are we supposed to get one I am on insurance disability then I get a survivor check am I still getting a stimulus money
cathrine
well all of us on social security would like to use your jacking off of each othervto buy food but we can’t!!! you still did not provide a date for deposit and you still havent justified why you arw taking so long to fulfill your obligation to the people who didn’t think twice to serve your political neexa cua wat and rhe vulnerable and disabled of this country!!! YOUVE PROVEN TO BE NOTHING MORE THAN A SELF SERVING FRAUD AND A LIAR!!! you all can jack each other off all you wNt with your day and night efforts but we know you fucked us – you fucked the poorest people in the country / you should be firec you piece of self serving trash
Meri S.
Thank you for your very informative and compelling explanation of what is unfolding for we SSI recipients. As I await this next stimulus payment, I deem it a great blessing. Thank you again, with sincerity.
John R.
You can give me all the lip service you want, all I know is that I received my 2nd EIP in a couple of days. Now you’re are missing with files and after couple of weeks, I still haven’t received my EIP yet. I collect SSDI and there wasn’t one mention of what you are doing for individuals receiving SSDI. We are also extremely low-income and need this payment to get caught up on food, bills, and/or rent. It’s not like you are paying us a whole hell of a lot. What is being done for us?
Dianna W.
Looking for a disability lawyer
Dannie M.
So slow 🐌
Gabrielle M.
Andrew Saul, David Black, and Charles Rettig are only trying to save face! All 3 of them knew exactly what they were doing! Mighty odd how they made sure inmates got their stimulus payments!! They intentionally, willfully, and knowingly delayed sending stimulus to ou vets, and those living on disability. Now, Andrew Saul is making excuses and lies in an attempt to save his, and his friends reputations. All 3 of them should be immediately fired!!! This is highly unacceptable!!
Rashida B.
Greatly appreciated facts!
Charlotte
I call you on this post what it is BS, I had to file income taxes to get my $600 as it was to be mailed never came and all i got from your office file taxes. Im 72 i dont file taxes on my SSA benefits and i’ve read your statement if not for 2 different committees we still wouldnt have it as you had til today to get them the info. The thing is you arent working willingly with IRS or i would of had my 2nd check and so would a lot of other people all you have done is tie up the IRS.
Shawn S.
Holding up all Social Security EIP payments because of SSI recipients is not fair. A lot of us received 1099s, have verified reliable direct deposit, still are not required to file a tax return. We should not have had our information held hostage by the SSA. SSDI, Social Security, Railroad, Veteran’s etc worked, served our country, paid our taxes. Since when aren’t we the “most eligible” as well?