October 14, 2008: Kaptur Reminds Northern Ohioans: Tomorrow is Deadline to File for Stimulus Payments

U.S. Representative Marcy Kaptur (OH-9) said as many as 32,000constituents have not yet filed 2007 returns. Most of the non-filersare taxpayers who received six-month extensions beyond the April 15 taxdeadline, but as many as 9,000 are Social Security recipients, disabledveterans, and lower-income people who are not otherwise required tofile returns.

“File a return by tomorrow if you want an economic stimuluspayment this year,” Kaptur said this morning. “Everyone who is entitledto a stimulus check must file a return. Especially during thesedifficult economic times, senior citizens or disabled veterans needthis payment to help make ends meet.”

For eligible individuals, the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008provided for stimulus payments of up to $600 ($1,200 for marriedcouples) or the amount of the taxpayer’s 2007 net income tax liability,whichever is less. There also is a $300 payment for each qualifyingchild. There is an income phase-out, starting at adjusted gross incomeamounts of $75,000 for single taxpayers and $150,000 for marriedtaxpayers.

People with no tax liability and no requirement to file a taxreturn could qualify for up to $300 ($600 for married couples) plus the$300 payment for each qualifying child. However, people in thissituation must have at least $3,000 in qualifying income from earnedincome, nontaxable combat pay as well as certain benefits from SocialSecurity, Veterans Affairs (VA) and Railroad Retirement.

Qualifying income from Social Security includes retirement,disability and survivor benefits. Supplemental Security Income is not aqualifying income. Qualifying income from VA includes disabilitycompensation, disability pension and survivor benefits. QualifyingRailroad Retirement Board benefits include the Social Securityequivalent portion of Tier I benefits. Also, those who are dependentsor eligible to be dependents on another’s tax return are not eligible.People must have a valid Social Security Number unless their spouse isa member of the military.

The IRS will not disburse any stimulus payments after December31. However, people who may be eligible for a payment can claim acredit in 2009 by filing a 2008 income tax return.

It is estimated that through August the IRS had issued morethan $200 million in stimulus payments to constituents in Ohio’s NinthCongressional District.