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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Larry A.
Read this article from NEWSWEEK from this morning!
https://www.newsweek.com/stimulus-payment-update-ssdi-ssi-social-security-federal-benefits-1579418
Larry A.
You’re a liar! Newsweek reported this from YOU this morning 3-29-2021
On Thursday, the SSA transferred the required paperwork to the IRS to facilitate stimulus payments. In a statement on Thursday, SSA Commissioner Andrew Saul claimed the delay was caused by a lack of staff funding.
Paula A.
My husband & I are totally disabled. W receive monthly disability checks from Social Security and are still waiting for our stimulus checks for $1400 each. We received our previous stimulus checks with no problem so you have all of your information!
Teresa W.
I think it crazy that people on ssdi haven t received there checks yet when the IRS had our information from the last two checks we should of been first to get them I’m still waiting and always get the same message on that dumb get payment app and IRS can and has a date just wont let us we are suppose to not pay our bills the don’t care they have jobs and money coming in
Tammy P.
How sad is it that everything the commissioner said should apply to us certain individuals that receive SS DISABILITY one check once a month and yet we have yet to receive any stimulus money !! Going to the site is ridiculous because it won’t tell us anything about when OUR CHECK should arrive!! FEELING VERY LEFT OUT!!
Lisa B.
During the epidemic economics facts went fall. Thank you for good article.
Installateur Notdienst Wien
Lynn C.
I know you are sick of the same questions but if you would just give us on ssdi etc a date it would help I have found no updated information in days the news said 3 to 4 days you say end of month beginning of April we pay the high prices in the grocery store and at gas pumps too please just give us a date
Larry A.
This is the update that I’ve found from Newsweek speaking with Saul and you’re NOT going to be happy either!
https://www.newsweek.com/stimulus-payment-update-ssdi-ssi-social-security-federal-benefits-1579418
Rachelle D.
I receive SSI, and have a Direct Express Card, and the only thing that I have pending on it right now is my regular monthly benefits, and the IRS’S Get My Payment Tool is still showing me Status Unavailable! I would very much like to know when you were going to send out the third Stimulus Checks for us?
norman p.
i am still waiting on my second and third stimulus check and they have all my information.what must i do to get my check
Maggie m.
I get SSI and haven’t got. Any stumlus money why
Larry A.
Same here and this is what I’ve found out!
On Thursday, the SSA transferred the required paperwork to the IRS to facilitate stimulus payments. In a statement on Thursday, SSA Commissioner Andrew Saul claimed the delay was caused by a lack of staff funding.
Cook u.
We’ve known that for three days