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IRS wants you to chat about stimulus checks this July 4

Steven Elbow  —  7/01/2008 3:25 pm

IRS officials are asking people who plan on attending family get-togethers over the Fourth of July weekend to be on the lookout for relatives who received economic stimulus checks.

"The July 4 holiday is a perfect opportunity to encourage family and friends to reach out to those who may not have heard about the stimulus payment," said Christopher Miller, IRS spokesman in Milwaukee.

Miller said there are 77,000 disabled veterans and retired people in Wisconsin, including 4,242 in Dane County, who have not filed tax returns, a necessary step in getting a stimulus check. But many residents aren't required to file a tax return because they don't make enough money or their benefits are not taxable.

"They're not used to filing a return, they're not required to file a return in many cases, and therefore it's not on their radar," Miller said. "Maybe you have an elderly grandparent who's not tapped into the news and maybe you know a veteran who does receive benefit income and is likely eligible to receive a stimulus payment but they have not filed a return."

Congress approved the payments as part of a stimulus in the hope that the money would be spend on goods and services, thereby pulling a slowing economy out of the doldrums.

To get the stimulus payment, people who don't normally files a tax return need to file a simplified 1040A tax form. The payments are for $300 per person, or up to $1,200 for a married couple plus $300 for each dependent child.

People are eligible for the payments if they make at least $3,000 in benefit income, including Social Security, veterans benefits railroad retirement benefits. They are also eligible if they have earned income of at least $3,000.

The IRS sent letters earlier this year to those that officials believe qualify for the stimulus check but haven't filed their taxes. A second round of letters will go out in coming weeks.

The IRS has sent out nearly three-fourths of the stimulus checks to on-time tax filers so far, according to a schedule using the last two digits of Social Security numbers. The department will mail out checks to those with numbers that end in 76-99 by July 11.

Miller said a relatively small number of people have not gotten checks because of other problems, such as not filling out a change of address form or filing an extension on their taxes. Others have not filed a name change with the Social Security Administration, causing checks to be held up for newly married couples when the names on the tax forms don't match the Social Security numbers.

Those still awaiting checks can log onto the IRS stimulus check information page where people can plug their names and Social Security numbers into a tracking program that will provide the status of payments.

People can also call the IRS information line at 1-800-829-1040, or visit a local IRS office.

Steven Elbow  —  7/01/2008 3:25 pm