Photo: Office of Rep. Grace Meng
April 7, 2020 By Michael Dorgan
The IRS is working to distribute the first round of coronavirus relief payments next week that will see payments of up to $1,200 per adult and $500 for each child, Congresswoman Grace Meng announced Monday.
Around 60 million payments will be made to Americans as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act that was passed by Congress to help those suffering under the economic hardship of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the House Ways and Means Committee.
The full $1,200 will be paid to individuals earning less than $75,000 per year and couples below $150,000. The government will also pay adults $500 for each child below these income thresholds. The amounts will be phased out for people earning above these levels.
The IRS is using direct deposit information from 2018 or 2019 tax returns to issue payment next week to these individuals including social security recipients who filed federal tax returns with direct deposit information.
Social Security recipients who didn’t filed tax returns in 2018 or 2019 and receive social security benefits via direct deposit will receive payment about 10 days later.
The Congresswoman said that the IRS is expected to begin issuing paper checks to individuals on the week of May 4.
“People in Queens and across the nation are hurting, and this financial assistance will provide important short-term relief to families and workers,” Meng said.
“I will monitor these timelines to ensure that constituents receive their payments,” she said.
Residents who don’t have a social security number– typically undocumented immigrants–will not receive funds.
On Friday, Meng helped introduce legislation that would allow immigrants who use an Individual Tax Identification Number to receive payment under the CARES Act. The IRS issues TINs to taxpayers and their dependents who are not eligible to obtain a social security number.
“Just like millions of American citizens, working immigrants, and mixed-status families, are falling on hard times due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” Meng said in a statement Friday regarding the proposed legislation.
“They too have bills to pay and loved ones to support.”
