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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Nora F.
Can we have some answer here?
I got lost in the money help from the beginning…never got $1200, $600, and now the $1400 checks.
I’m a retired instructor, 84 years old, living with social security income and some extra teaching on the side.
Why the government entities don’t offer a clear path for people to follow?
The form at the IRS page is horrible, I got only this answer always:
Access Denied. You don’t have permission to access “http://sa.www4.irs.gov/irfof-wmsp/login” on this server.
What’s the point, if you don’t communicate with people living with SSR and tell them what to do?
Stood i.
It’s really crazy how the IRS can find you when you owe them money, but now they are responsible for sending our seniors , retirees and people with disabilities there monies and can’t get it to them . Everyone playing the blame game this mess is crazy. Here we are last on the list again , Our supposed to be land of the free home of the brave what a joke. Oh and let me not forget our Veterans that that comes back home from war and can’t even get a decent job , or homes are even medical care for serving our country . I’m wondering what would of happened if ever one in the White House had there pay checks put on hold . What would they do . Remember the saying Karma is at the door lol.
Gary T.
march 30 and the irs says they need more info or im not elegible even though i got the first 2 eis payments direct deposit no problem. Has anyone out ther recieved their ss retirement money yet and how much more information do they need. I dont file taxes due to my income from ss is below the poverty level. Should I just wait until the folks in washington spend all the money that we paid in ahead or is it easier to just forget us or what? This was supposed to be resolved 5 days ago and I havent heard of any of our politicians missing any meals. Sad that we count for so little after doing so much for our country.
Beverly S.
IRS Press release on 3/30/2021 says updates about SS Beneficiaries payment date is April 7, 2021 , get my payment tool can be used for benefits check on April 3 or 4, 2021
Sandra C.
I haven’t RECIEVED mine either!! I don’t get why we got the 1st 2 no problem then we get Biden in and all the sudden there’s a problem ! REALLY !! I also struggle every month on my survivor benefit! This is just STUPIDITY ! I have worked all my life and we get treated like this in our elder yrs.!! I have eye issues that stops me from working any longer lost my CDL because of it. Now can’t continue driving a school bus ! So all I have to live on is my SSI ! This is just getting worse every day ! So frustrated with our govt !!
Gary T.
march 30, and irs still says they need more information or i am not eligble even though i recieved the first 2 stimulus checks direct deposit no problem. Im 69 years old and my income from ss retirement is below the poverty level. WTF????? ANYONE ELSE ON SOCIAL SECURITY GET THEIR EIS MONEY YET?
Caren
Nope no money yet.
Cynthia L.
I am a 68 year old widow receiving Social Security Survivors benefit. I was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer a year ago. I was working full time until I became physically unable to continue working because of my cancer. My husband passed away 5 years ago with no health insurance or life insurance. I was left with many medical and funeral bills due to his death that took every penny of what I had in savings. I still have a mortgage on our home. My Survivors Benefits are $1273 per month. My house payment is $853 per month which leaves me with about $400 per month to meet my remaining expenses. I filed my 2018 taxes and received the original $1200 stimulus last year. I did not file 2019 taxes as I was not required to because of my very low income, but I did not get the second stimulus payment of $600. So even though I did not have to file the 2020 return I did so thinking that maybe this was the reason I did not get the 2nd stimulus last December. I e-filed the 2020 return on February 22 and claimed the rebate recovery credit on it along with a loss of income last year with gave me a negative AGI, and a small return from it. Today is March 30th and I have as yet received nothing, not the 2nd stimulus, or 3rd stimulus, nor tax refund. I have tried and tried to call IRS to no avail. I can’t seem to get any answers at all. I have tried using the on line tracking apps. The Irs phone app tells me they have received the return and have accepted it but they are still processing it. The “Get My Refund” page on line says “Payment Status Not Available” “Need more Information”. PLEASE! I NEED SOME INSIGHT TO THIS!. I really need these funds!!!!! I have utilities due and on April 1st I will have a mortgage payment due!!! My survivor benefits will be here on the 2nd, but it is NOT going to cover what I need to pay!!!!!!!!!
Jeffrey W.
All this is a bunch of smoke and mirrors..ie Bullshit y’all know how to give us the stimulus money we already got TWO.on my direct express card *
#So know what’s your excuse …stop with all the nonsense and give Armani
Disabledandinvisible
There is NO excuse for no date for when ssi/ssdi/va will receive their payments from the stimulus?!?! Just release a darn date already!!
Jane
So you are saying it’s not ssi fault? Then why ve to threaten your office to send our paper work to the IRS? It sounds like you people are mad because you want more $ to do your job..you mentioned your people worked day and night but didn’t get compensated by govt lol or however u put it. Just remember most ssi recipients are at poverty level, I know I only get $600 monthly, try to live on that and have 2 grandkids under 10 living with me , but aren’t my dependents. Just sad how SSI people are done.
Robbie W.
Jane I agree with you whole hearted!! I’m on SSDI and supporting 2 grandchildren after fighting cancer and losing my leg in 2016. I’m treated like a dog by my family and the Gov. I have grown children already rec’d their check and they party while I struggle! Thought I had better support than that.
Susan E.
We really need these stimulus checks,its so ridiculous that us Seniors are being left out. In prior administration there was no problem!!
Jodean
I can’t even buy groceries right now. I have been waiting for the check, checking daily, and nothing. The site to check keeps saying not available. Too many seniors need this money now and we get NOTHING. What can we do?