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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John C.
Hard to place blame on one to make another look bad in a situation like this, truly the stimulus money is a gift for most receiving it and should be looked at as a bonus if you will and not something should have been counted on to begin with…thank you for your hard work all of you…
Fu
Ya fuck u trump lover u seen crime in the city llately u fuck.
Mary
My parents got there stimulus the 1st and 2bd one through their bank accounts in sure they could have their money to them by Monday the 29th it would be nice they beed to pay bills before they get them shut off instead making disability people suffer anymore they are you could send peoples money by this Monday the 29th please please make this happen my parents are on a fixed income and live off of hardly any money through the month so sad how working people work so hard all these years and have no extra money to spend they pay rent electric water and trash and car insurance and a car payment groceries to last a month and house hold and the broke no kidding broke I pay for them to eat out with me twice a month so so sad being in the 70s snd closes to 80 and suffer month to month they want to pay the car off so they have extra money to last them through out the month sorry I vented but I felt like I needed too American people are struggling and suffering and they need help also I pray they have the 4th stimulus checks and they do monthly for 6 months to a year to $2000 a month for everyone for 6 months for be nice to get us back in our feet cap it at a family if 5 or 6 with the same guide lines.. .
Thank you all so much
L W.
Thank You ,For Pushing Trough,Necessary Snarls “By avoiding,Lengthy Delays,For All Recipients, anxiously“Awaiting Pandemic 😷 Impact Relief,Am positive ,All People Awaiting 💰Are Quite Grateful “To SSI.,For Interventions”👍👍,Sincerely LWB,
Rosemary M.
Today is Thursday, March 25. My husband and I are in our 80s. Our only source of income is SS. We are not required to file federal income taxes because our income is low. Our children have received their money. Where and when will we see Stimulus money in our bank accounts?
Cristina
I would love to know why those on SSI and SSDI got the first 2 rounds of stimulus checks with no problem. You know when Trump was President. Now Biden is president and SSI/SSDI recipients have got nothing. I’m going to the press about this on Friday.
Reina W.
When will the people on ssa get their checks
David B.
Hello to Commissioner Saul and all those folks at SSA. As a disabled man who was hurt on the job in 2009, I have always been treated with respect and dignity since I started receiving SSI payments. I’m 62 and no longer can work; but I also know that if SSA says they are diligently working on sending me a stimulus payment as fast as they can, then I believe them. If there was administrative issues that could delay my check a couple weeks, then I’m ok with it and trust them! I have seen nothing but positive changes in the agency since Commissioner Saul took over. He keeps you informed and up-to-date on all things SSA. Thank you, Sir and God bless all the hard workers at Social Security.
Sam S.
The result has just happened to me, – thankfully receiving 3 rd stimulus EIP money through Direct Deposit account, comparing to the first two that were paid by checks (took a month each, -delivered to where I am, Thailand).
Rosa
Muchas gracias por todo el trabajo que han realizado. Dios premie su trabajo realizado y al fin todos los juvilados podamos recibir nuestos pagos de impacto.
Tom
Do you really think he speaks Spanish ?😆
Rhasheen
What if he does..as well as Israili..french…Greek…Russian..see not everyone is limited to one dumb language like you!
American
I bet that suit costs more than 1400.