Social Security administrator urges recipients with dependents to update info for payments

Press release

Social Security Administrator Andrew Saul told Social Security recipients who don’t file tax returns Monday that they need to make sure information is correct to receive the $500 per dependent payment to which they are entitled.

“Social Security beneficiaries and Supplemental Security Income recipients who don’t file tax returns will start receiving their automatic Economic Impact Payments directly from the Treasury Department soon,” Saul said. “People receiving benefits who did not file 2018 or 2019 taxes, and have qualifying children under age 17, however, should not wait for their automatic $1,200 individual payment. They should immediately go to the IRS’s webpage at http://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/non-filers-enter-payment-info-here and visit the Non-Filers: Enter Payment Info Here section to provide their information.

Saul said that Social Security retirement, survivors and disability insurance beneficiaries with dependent children who did not file 2018 or 2019 taxes need to act by Wednesday in order to receive additional payments for their eligible children quickly.

SSI recipients need to take this action by later this month; a specific date will be available soon, Saul said.

By taking this proactive step to enter information on the IRS website about them and their qualifying children, they will also receive the $500 per dependent child payment in addition to their $1,200 individual payment, he said. If beneficiaries in this group do not provide their information to the IRS soon, their payment at this time will be $1,200. People would then be required to file a tax year 2020 tax return to obtain the additional $500 per eligible child.

“I urge Social Security and SSI recipients with qualifying children who do not normally file taxes to take action now,” Saul said. “Immediately go to IRS.gov so that you will receive the full amount of the Economic Impact Payments you and your family are eligible for.”

People with Direct Express debit cards who enter information at the IRS’s website should complete all of the mandatory questions, but they may leave the bank account information section blank as Treasury already has their Direct Express information on file.

Additionally, any new beneficiaries since Jan. 1, 2020, of either Social Security or SSI benefits, who did not file a tax return for 2018 or 2019, will also need to go to the IRS’s Non-Filers website to enter their information as they will not receive automatic payments from Treasury, Saul said.