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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Yada C.
March 29th and still NO PAYMENT INFORMATION AVAILABLE on the IRS WEBSITE!!!
My benefit direct deposit has not changed in years, I have no dependents, and WE ALL KNOW that our SSDI are way below any “qualifications threshold” we all automatically qualify and pretty much ALL OF US are non-filers. Here is the kicker, if you moved and filed a return JUST TO CHANGE YOUR ADDRESS WITH THE IRS, (even though your ssdi payments go through direct deposit every month for the past many years) the irs has up to 10 weeks to process the return and can hold up your Stimulus. Total BS! IF YOU QUALIFY AUTOMATICALLY ON GOV’T BENEFITS, IT SHOULD BE AUTOMATICALLY DEPOSITED, REGARDLESS
Oral C.
This man is FULL OF IT. HE’s the TRUMP holdover RESPONSIBLE as to WHY SS recipients are still suffering.
This commissioner is withholding our stimulus ON PURPOSE.
This commissioner could care less about us.
GIVE US OUR STIMULUS NOW
Joe
He delivered our money on time the last 2 times! At myself for sure. Hmmm what changed? Biden and his team! Come On Man!
Michelle L.
Why the IRS not give the people receive SSA $SSI knows the date when there can have the $1400 ..why there let them wait so long …
Michael W.
LIAR. JUST LIKE YOUR OLD BOSS THIS HAS POLITICAL WRITTEN ALL OVER IT
SAUL.
Joan W.
My husband & I R on Social Security, he is 81 & I’m 76. All of our information is the same as the first two stimulus checks. But they R saying it will be 3 weeks before we will get a stimulus deposit. With this Covid going on & gas rising & groceries tripled in thee last few months we R in need of it.
Ordia G.
I’m still waiting on my 1st payment which was screwed up (Me & Wife’s name on) – she had been dead 6 months and could not deposit or cash at bank. This was May 2020. Voided and sent to IRS. Seven months later in Jan. 2021 received the supposed corrected check with different amount with the original problem so voided and sent back to IRS with another letter of explaination. Have heard nothing since.. Received $600 check correct in Jan. 2021 for new stimulus and a letter recently saying my next check would come in 60 days???? Who knows what will happen next or for how much???
Michael W.
I am calling complete BS on this patronizing attempt to not take responsibility for your screw up. Just get the payments out. You and only you left out the most vulnerable people in the country. Don’t pass the buck. I still haven’t received mine. And after all of the bad publicity you’ve received, you still won’t give a date we can see these payments in our accounts. Get off your backside and do your job or get to stepping. I’m sure Walmart has a job for you. You are overplayed and under qualified. And obviously I’m over your head. At the least, instead of hiding behind some feeble attempt at an explanation, the least you can do us out peoples minds at ease and give an estimate of when we will see this payment. Lie about it if you have to. Your old boss lied all the time but, do something.
Jason A.
Your comment makes too much sense for the SSA to understand.
Angelia W.
As of today i have not. Got my 1400 i am on ssdi have direct express when will then people on ssdi ssi ssa and vets going to get there similar check
Dolice k.
Fire Andrew Saul
Angelia G.
I have direct express and as of today i have not got my 1.400. When are we the people going to get there similar check
Elouise
As of today, I HAVEN’T RECIEVED ANYTHING YET EITHER!! And then they try to sugar coat by saying they are working hard, BS!!! If they’re working soo hard, then we should have had the 1400 in our account!!! PLEASE STOP AND GIVE WHAT EVERYONE ELSE HAS GOTTEN EXCEPT US!!!!
Outrage
Still nothing on 3/30 and the bureaucrats have all gone silent.
Larry A.
Read this article from Newsweek this morning!
https://www.newsweek.com/stimulus-payment-update-ssdi-ssi-social-security-federal-benefits-1579418
Janet A.
I’m 60 years old and completely disabled for several reasons. Mental depression is just one but probably the one that’s the worse. My roof on my home is over 22 years old and needs repaired before it falls in on my head. A one bedroom apartment is $600 a month. I’m paying less than that on my house payment. Rainy season is here. I can’t borrow money because my income isn’t enough. To the point of no return. I worked my butt off from the time I was 5 years old. My parents grew up during the great depression. To be treated like this is unexceptable to say the least. I blame Biden! He’s got a home. His bills are paid. He’s so far not been a caring president at all. Where’s our money?
Ed U.
Dear Janet S- President Biden signed the bill that qualifies you for the next round of money (EIP3). He ordered Andrew Saul (the Commissioner of S.S.Admin.) to send you the money. It is Andrew Saul who is playing games with internal financing between the IRS and the SSA that resulted in PURPOSELY withholding the money from you. Please READ and COMPREHEND the statement made here on March 25, 2021 – ( https://blog.ssa.gov/commissioner-statement-on-economic-impact-payments ). Mr. Saul was APPOINTED by Donald J. “I Bankrupted Three Casinos!” Trump. Get good and mad at the people who put you in this spot, please. President Biden ORDERED that you be paid. The “Dump” appointed destroyer Andrew Saul is ultimately responsible for fouling this up for everyone on SSDI or SSI or Railroad or V.A. benefits. READ & COMPREHEND: ” 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.” Mr. Saul finds MY comments to be “unacceptable” while I say: Mr. Saul, himself and his position as SSA Commissioner is UNACCEPTABLE!
Cook u.
Useless article y even put it up said same crap we ben hearing
Cook u.
Dude spare us your generic info we already u don’t put anything up unless u got solid info on these dirty bastards newsweek old generic news hasnt been good since 80s and totally socialists to