Economic Stimulus Payments Not Income for SSI

The special economic stimulus payments authorized by Congress in February will not affect the benefits of persons receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or other federal benefits.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) has issued instructions explaining that the stimulus payments, amounting to as much as $600 for individuals and scheduled to be sent to tax filers over the next several months, do not count as income in determining SSI eligibility and will not count as a resource for two months following the month in which they are received. EM'“08029 (Feb. 28, 2008).

A person whose sole source of income is SSI is not eligible to receive a stimulus payment, but many SSI recipients who have at least $3,000 in other annual income, such as Social Security benefits, are eligible to receive the payments. However, an income tax return must be filed in order to receive a stimulus payment.

For more information on the stimulus payments and what income tax forms to file, go to www.irs.gov or call 1-800-829-1040.

For the IRS's Stimulus Payment Schedules and Online Payment Calculator, go to: www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=180247,00.html