Press Releases

Action Needed for Social Security Recipients with Dependents Who Do Not File Tax Returns to Receive $500 Per Child Payment

SSA, RRB recipients with eligible children need to act by Wednesday to quickly add money to their automatic Economic Impact Payment

WASHINGTON—The U.S. Department of the Treasury and Internal Revenue Service today urge social security and railroad retirement recipients who have qualifying children and did not file a 2018 or 2019 tax return to go to the IRS Non-Filer tool by Wednesday, April 22, and enter basic information to receive the $500 per eligible child added to their automatic $1,200 Economic Impact Payment.

“Social security recipients will get their $1,200 automatically, but if they have dependents and did not file in 2018 or 2019, they need to use the IRS Non-Filers tool as soon as possible to input information to get their $500 per child,” said Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin. “If the IRS does not receive this essential information by Wednesday, their payment will be $1,200 and the $500 per child will be paid to them with a return filing for tax year 2020.”

Those receiving federal benefits – including Social Security retirement, survivor or disability benefits (SSDI), or Railroad Retirement benefits – who have qualifying children and who were not required file a tax return in 2018 or 2019 should go to IRS.gov and click on the “Non-Filers:Enter Payment Info Here” button. The tool will request basic information to confirm eligibility, calculate and send the Economic Impact Payments:

  • Full names and Social Security numbers, including for spouse and dependents
  • Mailing address
  • Bank account type, account and routing numbers (leave blank if you receive your benefits through Direct Express)

By entering this information, they can receive the $500 per dependent child payment automatically in addition to their $1,200 individual payment. Otherwise, their payment at this time will be $1,200. By law, the additional $500 per eligible child amount would be paid in association with a return filing for tax year 2020.

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and veterans benefit recipients will have until a later date to provide their information in the IRS Non-Filers tool.

For more information on the “Non-Filers: Enter Payment Info Here” web tool or EconomicImpact Payments.

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