The first stimulus checks went out in April. Since then almost every eligible person has gotten the $1,200 payment, barring a few. One such group though, that needs the stimulus payment the most, still hasn’t gotten them, which is the homeless community. The FTC is now working with the IRS to get the coronavirus stimulus checks to the homeless people.
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One reason why many of the homeless haven’t yet gotten the coronavirus stimulus checks is that they may not to be aware that they qualify for the stimulus payment, as well as the $500 dependent payment. They may be thinking that they don’t have any income and don’t pay taxes, so they won’t get the stimulus checks.
However, paying taxes is not the sole criteria for deciding whether or not you get a stimulus payment. This is why the FTC has joined hands with the IRS to educate such people about how they can still get the stimulus checks.
The FTC is requesting the public also to come forward and help the homeless get their coronavirus stimulus checks.
“If you know anyone who doesn’t have a permanent address (or someone who just isn’t aware that they might qualify for a payment), here’s what they need to know,” FTC said.
In a blog post, FTC said the last date to claim the payment is October 15, 2020. To claim the payment, one needs to provide their name, mailing address and email address. If they don’t have an address, then they can ask “a friend, family member, or shelter to use their address.”
What do they need to do?
Other information they need to provide is their date of birth, valid Social Security number (SSN) and bank account information (if they have any). They also need to give their Identity Protection PIN, License or state ID if they have one.
Apart from this, they must also share details of any dependents, including names, SSN, and relationship for each qualifying child.
Those who earn less than $12,200 ($24,400 for married couples), need to use the IRS’s non-filers tool, and then file a claim at IRS.gov/nonfilereip.
Apart from those who normally don’t file taxes, people who get Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Social Security, veterans or railroad retirement benefits also qualify for the stimulus checks.
FTC, in its post, also informs people on how they can stay safe from stimulus check related scams. The agency says that the IRS doesn’t call, text or email people about their payment. Moreover, it doesn’t even charge a fee for sending the payment.
“So: anybody who calls, texts, or emails offering to expedite an Economic Impact Payment is a scammer. People should never give anyone money to get a payment: anybody who tells you to pay is a scammer,” FTC says.
