A new online tool, developed jointly by AARP Tax-Aide and the National Council on Aging’s BenefitsCheckUp®, is available at www.AARP.org/stimulus or www.BenefitsCheckUp.org.  It provides simple, easy-to-understand instructions along with the ability to complete and print the IRS 1040A form, with instructions on where to mail it.

Now that the traditional tax filing season has ended, it is time to celebrate the hard work and accomplishments of community Outreach Campaigns and free tax filing programs.  As IRS data will soon show, millions of families and individuals will receive the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit this year — and many will owe their income boost to the success of state and local initiatives.  This year, however, there is an important reason to keep outreach going:  As a result of legislation recently passed by Congress, some 20 million low-income seniors, veterans and people with disabilities are eligible for an Economic Stimulus Payment (ESP) worth $300 ($600 for married couples) and must file an IRS Form 1040A to get it.  But, since most are not otherwise required to file, they are at risk of missing out.

It’s not too late! Eligible people have until October 15 to file for the Economic Stimulus Payment.  They need to know they may qualify and many will need help filing. That’s why special outreach efforts are needed.
 

What Are Economic Stimulus Payments (ESPs)?

In February, Congress approved Economic Stimulus Payments for 130 million households to give them a little more income to spend during the difficult financial times many are now facing.  The ESP helps families and individuals — and helps the economy!

Who Is Eligible?

Individuals must have had $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 a valid Social Security number.  Individuals cannot get the ESP if they can be claimed as a dependent by another person.

How Much Is the ESP Worth?

The ESPs are worth a minimum of $300 for individuals, $600 for married couples.  Some tax filers, including those raising children or grandchildren under age 17, can receive higher payments

How Do People Claim the ESP?

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 ESP. 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 IRS sent packets to some 20 million seniors, veterans and people with disabilities providing instructions on how to file the Form 1040A to get the payment. (The form does not have to be filled out completely if the person has no other filing requirement.)

Easy on-line filing tool developed by AARP and National Council on Aging
IRS website for more in-depth information

Why Is Outreach Needed?

Many of the people who are eligible for the ESP have too little income or nontaxable benefits to be required to file a tax return. Many of them may not have filed a tax return in many years  —  since they retired or became disabled.  They may not understand that they must file now to get this special, one-time payment, or they may be intimidated by the tax filing process. They also may mistakenly fear that receiving the ESP might endanger their eligibility for their retirement or disability benefits or for other vital public benefits such as Medicaid, SSI or Food Stamps,  upon which they rely.

What Can You Do?

There are a host of activities — from distributing information to conducting a special ESP Filing Event  — organizations can undertake to ensure that as many eligible people as possible get the ESP.  The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities has ideas and materials to make your efforts are successful.  Plan your activities so that the eligible individuals you reach can file before October 15!

Click Here for Outreach Ideas
 

Economic Stimulus Payment Outreach Flyers

These flyers have been designed to assist you in your ESP outreach activities. Full color flyers are available in English and Spanish. (Please check back for flyers in several additional languages. The flyer is available as a pdf color document in English and Spanish, as well as an easy-to-reproduce black and white WORD version that allows you to easily insert a local message. 

The flyer includes:

• Basic information about the ESP
• Brief Q&A
• The special IRS phone number people can call if they have specific questions about the ESP.  Live IRS staffers are available to help answer questions and connect callers with tax filing assistance. 
• A box for you to include a message about local outreach events, tax filing sites, helpline phone numbers or other information.  (If you don’t need that, there is a version with a standard message in the box: “You Have Until October 15 to File.”)

Click Here for Outreach Materials
Click Here for Outreach Videos produced by the IRS

Recruit Volunteers to Help and We’ll Help Train Them

Encouraging current VITA volunteers to stay involved for this special effort is important. Many VITA and AARP TaxAide sites are planning to provide free tax preparation after April 15 to assist those who need to file to receive their ESP.  But additional volunteers may be needed to reach out to seniors, people with disabilities and veterans to let them know they may be eligible and to help them complete the tax form needed for the ESP.  The good news is that new volunteers do not need prior experience filing tax returns — it’s simple enough to learn what is needed with a brief training that can take as little as 20 minutes!  Reach out to local corporations, college students and community service organizations.  For more ideas and resources to recruit volunteers, contact the Center at stimuluspayment2008@cbpp.org  or by calling 202-408-1080.

Additional Help from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

The Center can help you as you plan outreach events by providing further guidance or training.  Contact us at 202-408-1080 or stimuluspayment2008@cbpp.org.  The Center is standing ready to assist you! 

ESP Resources from the IRS

The IRS has developed information and resource materials that will be helpful to you in designing and carrying out ESP outreach activities.

These materials— including an extensive Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section, color flyers, public service announcements and You Tube videos — can be found through the main IRS Economic Stimulus Payment website:  www.irs.gov/irs/article/0,,id=177937,00.html

In March, the IRS mailed a specially designed packet to current recipients of Social Security and Veterans Administration benefits that IRS identified as not filing a tax return in 2006, and thus likely to not file a 2007 tax return and claim their ESP.  You might find it helpful to see the instructions that these individuals have already been sent.  www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/k1040a3.pdf

Those who haven’t filed a return by April 15 may be sent an additional mailing later by the IRS to again encourage them to file to receive their ESP.