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.
Did you find this Information helpful?
Tags: American Rescue Plan, Commissioner, Economic Impact Payments, social security, SSI
See CommentsAbout the Author
Andrew Saul, Commissioner, Social Security Administration
Commissioner of Social Security Administration (June 17, 2019 - July 9, 2021)
Comments
Comments are closed.
Sulaimon Q.
Very nice write-up keep it up
learnersworld
Sherri S.
What would you all do for money if there was no more pandemic you would be living on what you usually do. You all just blame everything that goes wrong on Trump and anybody that had any association with him these people work for nearly nothing and they are having to work over time cause they don’t have enough good people willing to work. I had a Anut that work for the government and believe this see work more hours and did not get extra money. And also you got to remember all the people that was lost to this virus and they had to be removed from the system and Also the new laws that was added so more people got more money. Trump st no saint but Biden isn’t either he promise down in Georgia that we would receive 2000.00 dollars each if people would vote for the democratic nominees you all forgot that lie. Do before you get on here and blame everybody else take s look at all of the information this would have happen with anybody who was running social security. What are you all going to do when this extra money and extra help stops guess what the same thing before all this happen make it the best way you can. We do t draw enough and we will never will. You wait and see if this extra money doesn’t hurts down the line probably loose our raises for s few years or something worst. Republican or Democratic we are all in the same boat when it comes to social security SSI it SSID. Say what you want but don’t have to be so dirty mouth about it. Dome of us people on this blog go to church and try to be respectful to others try to respect to us. You can speak you peace about you beliefs but think about other people please
Kenzie C.
Sherri why don’t you go suck a diseased dick.Cunt
Carl N.
I bet you got your stimulus though stop running your mouth Trump is gone by then is the president now
Cook u.
Fuck you trump saul ass licker. Ur damn lucky there ain’t riots like before white trash il bite ur face off
Marti R.
There are a few things about this delay that disturb me (1) We were not informed there would be a delay for Social Security recipients who worked for years and paid their taxes (2) We have been told to use the ‘get my payment’ tool which day after day left us with with absolutely no info but a lot of questions (3) The fact that Seniors and disabled Americans are being treated as an afterthought and hold less importance than anyone else
Johnny W.
The reasons just explained is appreciated but it doesn’t tell the reader when to expect our benefit. It is unclear when we can expect them to arrive thus makes your explanation useless.
Ann b.
Because it’s HIS fault!
“On Wednesday, March 24, House Democrats Bill Pascrell Jr. (D-NJ), Richard Neal (D-MA), John Larson (D-CT), and Danny Davis (D-IL), members of the Ways and Means Committee, sent a letter to Social Security Administration commissioner Andrew Saul, complete with an ultimatum. According to the letter, nearly 30 million Social Security and Supplemental Security Income recipients, some of the country’s poorest and neediest people, were being prevented from receiving their $1,400 stimulus checks from the American Rescue Plan, because Saul was refusing to send the necessary payment files to the IRS.”
REAL NICE!!
Andrew Saul is the guy who refused to hand the IRS our banking information! Because he is a tRump loving fool!!
ROBERT G.
You know what people unfortunately us as the disabled and low-income individuals of this country who have really paid our taxes and are dealing with difficult situations in which we are now. Perhaps to Shenanigans which were so lightly acknowledged and none of us have received not one cent while the rest of the general population without our difficulties received their direct deposits ever so gracefully, perhaps our usual monthly deposits should be doubled maybe even triple for such a travesty just my opinion….
Randy R.
I think that not right .when people like me pay child support every month.And they taken the $1200 money away from us So how does that help us pay our bills and put food on our table and not for sure if we will get the $1400 money now .i only got the the $600.00 i think that they should not child support and the $1200.00 or the $1400 .00
Troy W.
Hello the IRS has been given my closed account and I would appreciate it if my current CHIME account information is given to them before they send it back to this closed account again. CHIME ACCOUNT ××××××××5375. Thank you
Jose F.
Í didn’t recibe ayer my estimule check of 1,400 my only income is ssi retirment…if the congress aproval that help as estimulation.for all american why the ssi.is not probide all information.to IRS. so that dept issue or transfer relif ti SSI BEGAN MAKING DIRECT DEPOSIT TI OURS ACCOUNTS….SO TELL AS WHATS IS THE PROBLEM THAT SSI STILL BOY RESOLVING THAT ISSUE.
Kimberly H.
I would like to no the exact date we will get the 3rd stimulus payment I draw ssi/social security I need that money to pay some bills and buy me things I need. Alot of people already got there’s so why it that we can’t get them thank you
Hemant &.
We need information regarding 2nd and 3rd stimulus payment receiving dates to pay our bills. So far we have received only 1st stimulus package of $2400.00
including both of US/
Pam B.
If you ask me the whole thing is a joke noone cares about those of us who need the money and the IRS really doesn’t the app they have is useless I have been checking it everyday and it still doesn’t tell me when I will get my money, ha ha, we shouldn’t have to go through this.
firoj a.
I will get my money, ha ha, we shouldn’t have to go through this.
Charles T.
Why didn’t you send those files to them the day it became law instead of two weeks later. We all would not be in the position we are in. You wanted to get paid and you used us like we are nothing. You stopped millions of us from getting paid so that you could. We are the most vulnerable. The elderly the disabled the war veterans but we are not disposable and we are not toys for you to play games with WE ARE AMERICANS. Play games with your own lives not with ours. You made your mama really proud of you this time didn’t you
LTDE
That’s why we are the last to get help, while employed people who are not financially struggling like a lot of us do already got their checks and are going on shopping sprees!
Putting money back into the system is all the government care about!
Their 1st priority is to the people who will most likely ‘spend the money’ to help the economy [which is a great idea, btw] rather than help us suffering individuals who can barely make ends meet.
Wish I could just go on a shopping spree!