Press Release of Senator Cantwell

WASHINGTON, DC – With more than 100,000 Washingtonians not yet having filed for their economic stimulus checks, today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) reminded these eligible households that they are at risk of missing out on their $300 to $600 payments (doubled for married couples). 

“Just a few months ago, Congress took a major step to help bring American families some relief from the flagging economy by offering economic stimulus payments to eligible households,” said Cantwell, a member of the Senate Finance Committee. “However, more than 100,000 Washingtonians have yet to claim their economic stimulus payments.  This amounts to nearly $35 million in unclaimed funds.  I encourage all Washingtonians to file for payments, especially low-income seniors, disabled veterans, and other with disabilities, who are not otherwise required to file a tax return.”

                                

King, Pierce, Snohomish, Spokane and Clark counties rank among the highest in terms of the number of Washingtonians remaining to file for payments, with 116,099 remaining to file state-wide.

 

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has identified about 20 million low-income seniors, disabled veterans and others with disabilities who are not otherwise required to file a tax return.  On June 20, the IRS announced that 5 million people in this group may be missing out on their economic stimulus payments because they have not yet filed. 

 

Eligible individuals have until Oct. 15, 2008 to file for their payments.  Individuals must have had received $3,000 or more in income from earnings; Social Security benefits; Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI); Veterans disability benefits; Railroad Retirement benefits; OR a combination of any of these benefits and pay in 2007.  Individuals (and their spouses and children) must have valid Social Security numbers, and cannot get the payment if they can be claimed as a dependent by another person.

 

To receive the payment, individuals must file a 2007 tax return. Even people who are otherwise not required to file (because they have very low incomes or nontaxable benefits) MUST file a Form 1040A to claim their stimulus checks. Anyone who has already filed a Form 1040 or 1040A, or a 1040EZ showing $3,000 or more for 2007, does not need to do anything else. The stimulus payments will not come out of a filer’s 2008 tax refund and will not be counted as taxable income for the 2008 filing season.

 

For more information, visit www.irs.gov

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