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)
Comments
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Jester J.
So Mr Saul, right now I be stuck in the projects with no heat or hot water. My bank account has lint and peanuts. Why did you hurt so many poor people by delaying dat stimulus checks. I ain’t got but 3 rusty cans of beans to eat. At least my neighbor helped me cook a squirrel. Ain’t dat bad. Anyway. hang in dare yaw. I believe in Biden.
Nancy M.
There was NO problem in getting my first and second stimulus money direct deposited in my acct. I am on Social Security Widow Survivor benefits. ABSOLUTELY NOTHING has changed with any of my information. I am a non-filer, which also has NOT changed and I still have not received a penny of the $1,400 rescue money. And I mean RESCUE at this point in time! I was able to buy $50 of groceries for a whole month thus far. Can anyone guess how much in food and only necessities that is for a month? Not many can. I get just over $9,000 a year. I also have to pay for part of my medications…not cheap. Someone needs to get off their backsides and get what has been promised in stimulus money out to us. I am so sick of all these bogus dates that are being tossed around like a ball… March 14; March 17; March 24; March 25 and 27!!!! Those dates have given nothing, but DATES, to those of us receiving anything to those of us that receive Social Security payments, which does not add up to a whole heck of alot anyway. So much has changed, prices for everything has gone up, leaving us even more financially strained. HELP IS NEEDED NOW!!
Flynn M.
Where in Hades is my bloody money?!? I’m on SSDI and I desperately need those funds! Why are the most vulnerable of our nation’s people being crapped upon? Again! Patrician politics should NOT be a part of this process. The plebeian are hurting and you in the Ivory Tower keep tossing your chamber pot contents at us instead of currency. You will reap what you sow.
Jim C.
You DEFINITELY need to be FIRED IMMEDIATELY, SSI, Ssdi ,and TH HD rest of us are not involved in ANY of your Politics and or Political Games you and Trump continue to play, we a lot of us BEEN receiving Benefits before you And Trump took office, How Dare you play with American Lives, Besides Fired you need to get Punched in your Face Randomly.
Dawn S.
so when do we get money? your political infighting has nothing to do with us. you are a Trump obstructionist. go back to your insulural non reality life in THE PRIVATE BUSINESS SECTOR. YOU HAVE NO BUSINESS IN GOVERNMENT. YOU DONT UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SERVICE AND PROFIT MAKING. THERE SHOULD BE NO “PISSING MATCH” BETWEEN GOVERNMENTAL BODIES. YOU ARE ALL SUPPOSE TO SERVE US, NOT YOUR PETTY LITTLE EGOS. I OWE PEOPLE WHO, INCLUDING ME, THOUGHT WE WOULD SEE MONEY ON THE 24TH HARDY HAR HAR. I WAS GOING TO BUY A NEW MATTRESS AS THIS ONE IS PITTED WITH HOLES AND WORN OUT. BUY NEEDED CLOTHING AND HOUSEWARES. THESE PURCHASES WILL STIMULATE A LITTLE TO OUR ECON. DIDNT THINK ABOUT THAT DID YOU (MR) SAUL? AND WHY DID OTHERS GET PAYMENT AND SSA,SSD,SSDI,SSI DIDNT GET THEIRS? SEEMS A REALLY CHEAP SHOT THERE SAULIE. FEEL FREE TO BECOME ILL OR IN AN ACCIDENT AND LEAVE THE PLANET, WE ALREADY HAVE ENOUGH JERK AZZHOLES LIKE YOU, WE COULD USE A PURGE OF JERKS LIKE YOU. FURTHER A HALE AND HEARTY 3RD DIGIT SALUTE TO YOU SAULIE AND THAT P.O.S. LAJOIE. TAKE MY ADVICE FIND A WAY TO LEAVE THE PLANET AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. THANK YOU OBSTRUCTIONIST JERK.
bobbie M.
It’s sad we worked hard are hole life and now that we can’t work they can care less about us why are we always forgot about
Ricky
People need the funds now the ssa sent the data over to the irs on Thursday this is not a waiting game it’s law some one better be geeting these funds out now or it will get worse people are in need there due for payment theres no info public this is a serious matter
Peggy R.
I have direct deposit and it’s still not in the bank I have a check that is my only income I used money to catch up my bills because the check was going in my account now I am behind in rent and still no frigging check and no info
Kevin
You got your first two checks on time and trump was president way the bitch about saul being a trumper if you dumbass bidinets were so full of yourself you would see your on party has thrown a monkey wrench into the
System.
Ronnie
Hey Shallow Man! Yep ! Biden will end up regretting he didn’t fire Saul right off the bat but we can’t be mad at Joe I mean, its Trump that appointed so many people that have sabotaged things! Hard to fix four years of trouble in 80 days! Everyone will forever remember the Republican party of lies that turned its back on people during the worst pandemic in a hundred years!
ONE P.
What I don’t understand is why is he still in office he was supposed to be gone when Trump was and of course he’s one of the ones that is holding all the SSI and SSDI money we had no problem before and now there’s a problem the 17th is come and gone the 22nd has come and gone the 27th has come and gone so what the heck is the hold up he’s a liar and all that crap he says about he’s fixing it you’re not fixing Jack where’s our help (SEND US THE MONEY )