Social Security recipients won't have to file taxes to get coronavirus stimulus checks

Arthur Delaney
Updated

Social Security beneficiaries won’t have to file tax returns in order to receive the coronavirus relief payments, the Trump administration announced Wednesday in a quick reversal of an earlier position.

“Social Security recipients who are not typically required to file a tax return need to take no action, and will receive their payment directly to their bank account,” Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a news release.

Millions of people receiving Social Security retirement and disability benefits aren’t required to file federal returns because their incomes are so low they don’t owe any taxes.

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The vast majority of Americans are eligible for the $1,200 rebate Congress authorized last week, but on Monday the Internal Revenue Service announced everyone would have to file a tax return to receive the money.

Since then, dozens of Social Security beneficiaries told HuffPost they were unable to file online using the free services linked from IRS.gov ― presenting a major obstacle to their getting the benefits.

  • This article originally appeared on HuffPost.

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