COVID-19 requesting individual stimulus payment for dependents of benefits receipients and for other non-filers

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has reopened the non-filer tool for SSI, Social Security, VA benefits and Railroad Retirement recipients to request the $500 per dependent stimulus payment.  People on  SSI, Social Security, VA benefits and Railroad Retirement can now request the $500 child stimulus payment using the portal until September 30.  After September 30, 2020, SSI, Social Security, VA benefits and Railroad Retirement recipients must file a 2020 tax return in 2021 to get the $500 per dependent payment.

In addition, IRS set a deadline of October 15 for people who do not need to a tax return to apply for the stimulus using the portal.  People who do need to file a tax return but do not apply using the portal by October 15 will need to file a 2020 tax return in 2021 to get the stimulus. In addition, SSI, Social Security, VA benefits and Railroad Retirement recipients who did not automatically receive their stimulus payment need to complete the non-filer tool by October 15 or they will need to file a 2020 tax return in 2021 to get the stimulus.

IRS states it is working to resolve cases where a stimulus payment was taken and applied to their spouse’s past-due child support.  IRS states it will automatically issue the portion of the stimulus payment that was applied to the other spouse’s debt.

IRS has cancelled all checks that were issued to people who died before the receiving the stimulus payment.  Some stimulus payments to spouses of deceased  persons were cancelled.  IRS is working on reissuing payments to surviving spouses of deceased taxpayers who were unable to deposit the initial stimulus payment to the deceased and surviving spouse.  (IR 2020-180, August 14, 2020.)