Last night Social Security sent out a press release saying SSI recipients have to May 5 to file “tax returns” in order for their minor children to get economic stimulus payments.
Let me be clear. The U.S. Treasury is responsible for making these payments. They’re the ones making a mess of this. If there is another round of payments maybe Treasury will have its act together but my thought is that the Social Security Administration may need to detail some employees to help them out. Social Security has been using databases since the 1930s. Yes, they existed back then in a primitive form. There’s probably no other government agency with Social Security’s experience with databases. Treasury was so pathetic that they didn’t even do a match with the Death Master File before sending out payments! They need help.
IRS is totally to blame. They not only refused to accept children's info to accept claims when SA offered IRS the name, SSN and address of the auxilliary beneficiaries of offspring of retired workers, disabled workers and deceased workers but they made the announcement that people had to submit claims in less than 48 hours. Now they are saying those kids will not get a check until next year at best.
ReplyDeleteNow they are hiding the ball for SSI folks too. They refuse to award EIPs to child SSI beneficiaries and they require the children of SSI beneficiaries to make a claim. Also note that instead of making an announcement of the May 5 date IRS is silent!
Meanwhile the portal they have directed to people is confusing and unavailable for many people who lack internet access.
The whole point of a stimulus is to stimulate the economy. Withholding benefits from people is hardly stimulating, nor is it compassionate for people who live below the poverty line.