Some Info On Economic Stimulus And Social Security

     From a Senate Finance Committee staff summary of the economic stimulus bill just passed by the House of Representatives and which is only pending the President's signature:

Are individuals with little to no income or those on means-tested federal benefits, such as SSI, eligible for a recovery rebate? Yes, there is no qualifying income requirement. Even individuals with $0 of income are eligible for a rebate so long as they are not the dependent of another taxpayer and have a work-eligible SSN.

Are seniors whose only income is from Social Security or a veteran whose only income is a veterans’ disability payment eligible? Yes, as long as they are not the dependent of another taxpayer. The bill also provides IRS with additional tools to locate and provide rebates to low-income seniors who normally do not file a tax return by allowing them to base a rebate on Form SSA-1099, Social Security Benefit Statement or Form RRB-1099, which is the equivalent of the Social Security statement for Railroad Employees. However, seniors are still encouraged to file their 2019 tax return to ensure they receive their recovery rebate as quickly as possible. ...

I am eligible for a rebate, what do I have to do to receive it? For the vast majority of Americans, no action on their part will be required to receive a rebate check since the IRS will use a taxpayer’s 2019 tax return if filed or their 2018 return if they haven’t filed their 2019 return. This includes many individuals with very low income who file a tax return despite not owing any tax in order to take advantage of the refundable Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit.

What should I do if I did not file a tax return for 2019 or 2018? The best way to ensure you receive a recovery rebate is to file a 2019 tax return if you have not already done so. This could be accomplished for free online from home using the IRS Free file program (https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free).  ...

If I have a past due debt to a federal or state agency, or owe back taxes, will my rebate be reduced? No, the bill turns off nearly all administrative offsets that ordinarily may reduce tax refunds for individuals who have past tax debts, or who are behind on other payments to federal or state governments, including student loan payments. The only administrative offset that will be enforced applies to those who have past due child support payments that the states have reported to the Treasury Department.

     This is a bit confusing. It says that the payments can be made just based upon the SSA-1099 but goes on to encourage Social Security benefit recipients to file a tax return even if they don't really have to. Why? What about SSI recipients? They don't get SSA-1099s. Do they have to file tax returns even though they have zero income?

Extra $300 Million For SSA

     A Federal News Radio article says that the Social Security Administration will receive a special $300 million appropriation under the economic stimulus bill which is likely to become law today. However, I don't see anything about this in the link to the bill which they give. That's probably because what they link to is only Part A of the bill, with the appropriations being in Part B. I would love to see Part B if anyone has a link.

Social Security Recipients Will Get Stimulus Payments

     From WYMT:

We at WYMT received many calls and emails from viewers who wanted to know whether or not individuals that are living on social security will receive the benefit checks as a result of the stimulus package currently making its way through congress.

Thursday, we talked directly to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for answers.

His office told WYMT that all U.S. residents who are not claimed as a dependent of another taxpayer and have a work-eligible social security number (up to the income threshold limits) will receive a stimulus check.

"This does apply to those who have no income, as well as those who receive income from non-taxable means-tested benefit programs, such as Social Security," they told us in a statement. ...

     What I wonder about are the people who don't  get their stimulus checks because they've changed bank accounts. Who's responsible for taking care of those cases? I don't think it's Social Security, though.

Up To 90 Minutes To Get Through On Phone

     From Social Security's Covid-19 webpage (emphasis added):

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we are dedicating available staff to serve people in most critical need of our services. Please read below before deciding whether to contact your local Field Office inquiry line or our National 800 Number. Please be aware that our call wait times are longer than normal. It may take you up to 90 minutes or more to reach an agent ...

Covid-19 Response Bill Would Not Affect Trust Funds

     Section 2301 of the Covid-19 response bill passed by the Senate and likely to be passed by the House of Representatives, gives employers temporary relief from payroll taxes, including the F.I.C.A. tax. However, part (i) of §2301 requires a transfer of funds from the Treasury to the Social Security trust funds to make up for the lost revenues.

Future Of Field Offices After Covid-19?

     When the Covid-19 threat is over will the field offices ever fully reopen to the public or will they be on their way to being phased out?

Only Limited Service Available

     Social Security has updated its Covid-19 webpage to include a statement that "During the COVID-19 pandemic, we are dedicating available staff to serve people in most critical need of our services." Also, "Our 800# agents can assist with limited transactions and are focused on helping those people most in need."

$300 Million More For Social Security?

     From Fedscoop (emphasis added):

... House appropriators are prepared to give federal agencies more IT funding than the White House is seeking to meet the unprecedented demand from teleworking during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A House emergency appropriations bill released Monday would increase much of the technology spending the Office of Management and Budget had initially requested in a memo on March 17. The $2.5 trillion legislation, intended to bolster the wavering U.S. economy, differs from the package that Senate Democrats and Trump administration officials have been negotiating, but it’s possible the House proposal could influence that bill. ...

The Social Security Administration would have $300 million of coronavirus-related impact relief, including teleworking, “phone communications services” and overtime pay. ...

Are Law Firm Scanning Personnel Essential Under A Stay At Home Order?

     My firm has employees of a legal staffing agency doing onsite scanning for us. The staffing agency says they are hearing that those doing scanning have been considered essential personnel and exempt from stay at home orders in other states. We are expecting a stay at home order in the near future. Has anyone already under a stay at home order faced this issue? Were scanning personnel considered essential and exempted from the stay at home order?

Major New POMS Section On Representation Of Claimants

     Social Security has added a new section to its POMS manual on representation of claimants. I'm not sure how much is new. Here are a few things I noticed on a quick read through:

... [A]n appointed representative may not: 

• sign an application on behalf of the claimant. ...

An appointed representative cannot delegate to an associate the performance of tasks that require taking legally significant actions about the claimant's case such as: 

• appearing at a hearing and presenting the claimant's case in proceedings before us ...

A claimant must sign a written notice of appointment.

The claimant's signature must be in ink. We do not accept signatures generated from electronic software programs (e.g., DocuSign or HelloSign) or rubber-stamped signatures from claimants on written notices of appointment. [Problematic at this time]

Return a notice of appointment if the claimant's signature is electronic. ...

The following individuals cannot appoint or revoke a representative on behalf of a claimant:

the representative payee ...

If a claimant dies before we complete action in a pending claim, matter, or issue, the representative's appointment continues until it is ended by one of the events listed in GN 03910.060B.