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One-Time Economic Recovery PaymentSSA Publication No. 05-10519, April 2009, ICN 470050, [View .pdf] (En Español) |
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On February 17, 2009, President Barack Obama signed into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. This law provides for a one-time economic recovery payment of $250 to people who get certain types of Federal benefits. |
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| Who will receive the one-time $250 economic recovery payment? The law provides for a one-time payment for certain individuals who receive Social Security, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Railroad Retirement and Veterans benefits. If you were eligible for one of these benefits at any time during the months of November 2008, December 2008 or January 2009, you may be eligible for the one-time payment. To receive the payment, your address of record must be in one of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, or the Northern Mariana Islands. |
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| If I am eligible for the one-time payment, when will I receive it? You should receive your one-time payment by the end of May 2009. You don’t need to do anything to receive this payment. Social Security does not need to contact you to request information. Please do not contact us about your payment unless you do not receive it by June 4, 2009. The Department of the Treasury will be sending payments throughout the month of May. |
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| How will I receive my one-time payment? We will deliver your one-time payment the same way we currently deliver your Social Security or SSI benefit. If we deliver your monthly benefit by check, we will deliver your one-time payment by check. If you receive your benefits by direct deposit or Direct Express® debit card, you will receive the one-time payment the same way. We will send your one-time economic recovery payment separately from your Social Security or SSI benefit; it will not be included with your monthly benefit payment. |
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I receive both Social Security and SSI. Does this mean I’ll receive two one-time economic recovery payments? |
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If my spouse and I both receive Social Security or SSI benefits, will we each get a one-time economic recovery payment? |
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| Are children who receive Social Security benefits eligible for the one-time economic recovery payment? No, children under the age of 18 (19 if still in high school) who receive Social Security benefits are NOT eligible for the one-time payment. However, adult children who receive disability benefits on a parent’s record will receive a payment. |
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| Are children who receive SSI benefits eligible for the one-time economic recovery payment? Yes, children receiving SSI are eligible for the one-time payment. |
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| I have a representative payee. Who will receive my one-time economic recovery payment? If you have a representative payee, we will send your one-time payment to your representative payee. Your representative payee is required by law to use the payment for your personal benefit. |
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| Will ALL Social Security and SSI beneficiaries receive a one-time economic recovery payment of $250? No. In most cases, the following individuals will NOT receive the one-time payment:
*Note: Disabled adult children receiving Social Security or children receiving SSI payments will receive the one-time payment. |
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| Will I receive the one-time economic recovery payment if I have a delinquent Federal or state debt? The law requires the Department of the Treasury to deduct delinquent child support and debts owed to state and Federal agencies from the one-time payment. The one-time payment will not be used to collect Social Security or SSI benefit overpayments. |
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| Will the one-time economic recovery payment count as income or resources when determining eligibility for SSI? The one-time payment will not count as income for SSI. In addition, it will not count as a resource in the month you receive it or the following nine months. For example, if you receive the one-time payment in May 2009, it will not count as a resource from May 2009 through February 2010. If you still have this money in March 2010, it will count as a resource starting that month and may affect your eligibility for SSI. |
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| Will the one-time economic recovery payment count as earnings when determining eligibility for Social Security disability benefits? No. The one-time economic recovery payment will not count as income or earnings for Social Security disability benefits. |
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| If I don’t receive my one-time economic recovery payment by June 4, what should I do? After June 4, 2009, you can call our toll-free number, 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) or contact your local Social Security office to tell us your payment has not arrived. Please wait until then to ask about your payment because the Department of the Treasury will be sending payments until the end of May. |
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| What should I do if someone calls or E-mails me asking for personal information to process my payment? Do not provide your personal information to anyone requesting it to process your payment. If you are unsure about the identity of someone claiming to be a Social Security employee, call 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) to verify the call. You may report suspicious activity involving Social Security programs and operations to the Social Security Fraud Hotline website or call 1-800-269-0271 (TTY 1-866-501-2101). |
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| How can I get more information about the one-time economic recovery payment? If you are not a Social Security or SSI beneficiary and receive only Railroad Retirement or Veterans benefits:
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