COVID-19, People Facing Barriers

Commissioner Statement on Economic Impact Payments

March 25, 2021 • By

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Last Updated: March 25, 2021

A photo headshot of SSA Commissioner Andrew SaulI 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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About the Author

Andrew Saul, Commissioner, Social Security Administration

Commissioner of Social Security Administration (June 17, 2019 - July 9, 2021)

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Comments

  1. Connie B.

    So impressed with the dedication and hard work of the SSA! Thank you!

  2. Excuses e.

    No excuses. If you were an effective leader, you wouldn’t have let a little misunderstanding stop our payments. We got our payments on time with everybody else last time. You should be fired.

  3. Patty D.

    Yes you all know my new address to let the IRS know I have moved plus my banking information if there asking and your telling them then its your fault I have moved and the USPS knows it also so it’s there fault also I have tried and tried to get ahold with the IRS but the long hold times on the phone is ridiculous yes I get SSI. I need that stimulus for my rent I get throwed out if here it will be the IRS’s fault cause the 3rd payment has not been sent out. People can just sit here and wait on it either there going to go to agencies and get help I got til Tuesday to come up with money that I don’t have to pay the rent here and yes I am blaming it on SSA cause the checks are not enough to live on. But the stimulus how hard is it too give a simple date not that hard to do you all are not in our shoes rents and utilities and food and necessities are not cheap but to tell people on disability to go into public housing and there are waiting lists that’s a waste of my time. Here my knees are going out now and something is wrong with my right leg and my stomach has not been right for over 5 years now and that I am going to compensate on that or the state of Indiana is getting in trouble over it for not pulling that surgeon’s license I could have died in 2019 they found a hole in my colon and I still suffer from the stomach pain and issues associated with that Medicaid has nothing to do with someone’s pain and suffering from that either over the medical Bill’s and meds from that surgery I hope I don’t have stomach cancer either if I do between that surgery and all the acid reflux meds I have took over the years has caused it thanks alot for them not warning anyone then about the cancers it can cause.

  4. Susan B.

    Some people are going to end up themselves over this shit. We have to have money to live. This is a 5 week month for us. God forgive you

  5. PATRICIA A.

    This information is interesting, but it still does not say when we will receive our $1400. I received the last stimulus direct deposit almost immediately after it was announced. So what is different this time? Thank you.

  6. Tony K.

    Well when will checks be released now , as of 3/25 , to people like myself on SSDI, on direct deposit? I received my other two EIPS the same way?
    When will the IRS now send the funds since they now have the NEW, updated files?

    Thank You,
    A.R. Kaz

  7. Edward N.

    So when can we expect to receive our $1400.We can use it more than most of the people that got it.

  8. Dawn J.

    Well I haven’t received mine yet and it’s much needed I am also supporting my 52 year old son a disabled vet who has been out of work and I really need help.

  9. Wendy R.

    BS Here we go with the blame game

  10. Cynthia A.

    When should Social Security,SSI, and SSD recipients expect to receive their 2021 stimulus payment

Comments are closed.