Don't miss out on your stimulus check from the IRS
The IRS says 405,968 Floridians who may be eligible for a $300 or $600 economic stimulus payment still haven't filed for it. That's 29% of the potential filers. Who are those people? Social Security recipients and disabled veterans who don't normally file a tax return.
The IRS announced a new program today to reach out to them. Nationwide, about $5.2-million potential filers are unaccounted for, or about 26% of filers. Here's a state-by-state breakdown. The potential filers list includes 14,662 in Tampa, 11,605 in St. Petersburg, 4,817 in Clearwater and 3,474 in New Port Richey. Click here for the IRS' complete report on Florida cities. Most of those who did not file have not filed a tax return in for at least the past three years. As a result, the IRS says they may not be aware that they need to file a return to get a stimulus check.
You must file by Oct. 15 to receive a stimulus payment this year. Get a Form 1040A here.
The outreach initiative will partner with state and local governments and gruops such as AARP, National Council on Aging, United Way of America and National Disabilty Institute.
Still looking for your check? Here's the payment schedule for returns that were processed by April 15. The intial wave of direct deposit rebates in May went to people who had a direct deposit REFUND on their tax returns. I've heard from many people who mistakenly thought that just because their Social Security check is direct deposit that their rebate would be in the first wave of those delivered.
Questions? Call the IRS toll-free at 866-234-2942.
St. Petersburg Times personal finance editor Helen Huntley writes about money topics and answers questions about financial planning, investments and personal income taxes.
What the politicians OR the IRS failed to tell anyone is that even if YOU are a law abiding, tax paying, AMERICAN CITIZEN, if your husband is not, you get NOTHING . . . what kind of way is that to treat an AMERICAN CITIZEN?
Posted by: Pamella | June 20, 2008 at 11:00 AM
My mother is law is in a nursing home with Medicare/Medicaid . She is not filing a return as she can not keep the money anyway.
I wonder how many of the missing are in that boat.
Posted by: Jim | June 19, 2008 at 09:26 PM