American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 One-Time Cash Benefit
One-Time Cash Benefit
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 includes a provision for a one-time payment in the amount of $250 to each individual who was eligible for Social Security Title II benefit, Railroad Retirement benefit, Veterans benefit, or Supplemental Security Income during November or December 2008 or January 2009. Recipients of these payments should be aware of the following facts:
- Most payments are scheduled to be disbursed in May 2009. All payments should be received no later than June 17, 2009.
- Eligible individuals will receive only one $250 payment, even if they receive benefits from more than one of the sources listed above.
- The one-time payment is not subject to state or federal income tax.
- The one-time payment does not affect eligibility for assistance – and will not affect the amount or extent of benefits – under any federal, state or local program financed in whole or in part with federal funds. This includes Medicaid, SSI, SSDI, food stamps or housing assistance.
- The one-time payment will not count as a resource for eligibility purposes as long as the recipient spends the money by the last day of February 2010.
Additional information can be found in a brochure on the Social Security Administration’s website at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10519.pdf. Contact information is provided on the last page of the brochure.
Answers to Frequently Asked Questions on the federal Stimulus Package One-Time Cash Benefit
Question: Will this one-time payment affect any of my benefit programs, such as Medicaid, food stamps, etc.?
Answer: This one-time payment does not affect eligibility for assistance or the amount or extent of benefits under any federal, state or local program that is financed in whole or in part with federal funds, including Medicaid, SSI, SSDI, food stamps or housing assistance.
Question: I became eligible for benefits in February 2009. Will I receive a one-time economic recovery payment?
Answer: No. Only individuals eligible for Social Security, Railroad Retirement, SSI or Veteran’s disability benefits during the months of November 2008, December 2008 and January 2009 can receive the one-time payment.
Question: Will veterans receiving retirement benefits and who are working be eligible for the one-time economic recovery payment?
Answer: If they are already receiving the “Make Work Pay” benefit, they will not receive the one-time $250 benefit.
Question: What is the “Make Work Pay” benefit?
Answer: Please go to: http://transform.mo.gov/resources/individual_tax_relief.htm
Question: Will veterans who receive partial disability receive a one-time economic recovery payment?
Answer: VA beneficiaries who have received compensation, pension, dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC), or spina bifida benefits from November 2008 through January 2009 will be eligible for the one-time payment of $250 if they do not receive a benefit through “Make Work Pay”.
Question: Will children of veterans, social security recipients, or railroad retirees receiving benefits receive a one-time economic recovery payment?
Answer: No. Children under the age of 18 (19 if still in school) are not eligible for the one-time payment. However, disabled adult children will receive a payment.
Answers to other Frequently Asked Questions can be located at the following:
Social Security Website: http://ssa-custhelp.ssa.gov/cgi-bin/ssa.cfg/php/enduser/std_alp.php?p_sid=gL7PzPvj Select ‘Checks and Payments’ in the ‘Search by Category’ field; select ‘Economic Recovery Payments’ in the next field that appears; click on ‘Search’
Railroad Retirement Board:
http://www.rrb.gov/recovery/faq_erp.asp
