$250 Stimulus Checks Coming

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Q: When are the $250 Federal Stimulus checks coming?
A: In February, President Barack Obama signed into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which provides for a one-time payment of $250 to people who get Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. Checks should start arriving in early May. Vice President Joe Biden promised to get these checks “out the door in record time and into the hands of folks who need it most.” More than $13 billion will be in the hands of more than 50 million Americans.

The one-time payment will go to adult Social Security beneficiaries, and to people on SSI—except those receiving Medicaid in care facilities. To receive a check, the individual must be eligible for Social Security or SSI during the months of November 2008, December 2008 or January 2009. The law also provides a one-time payment to Veterans Affairs (VA) and Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) beneficiaries. If someone receives Social Security and SSI, VA or RRB benefits, he or she will receive only one $250 payment. You only get one $250 payment, regardless of how many types of benefits you receive. If both you and your spouse are receiving benefits from Social Security or SSI, you each will get the one-time payment. If you have a representative payee, the government will send your one-time payment to your representative payee. Adult children 18 and over who receive SSI or disability benefits on a parent’s record, will also receive this payment. The government emphasizes that you don’t need to do anything to receive your payment. People getting Social Security or SSI should not contact the agency unless a payment is not received by June 4, 2009. Social Security will not be sending you any request for information. Be suspicious of any phone calls, emails, or letters you get that claim they are from Social Security—or any other group—asking you for information about this payment. The Department of the Treasury will be sending payments throughout the month of May. If you get your monthly benefit by check, your one-time payment will also come by check. If you receive your benefits by direct deposit or Direct Express® debit card, you will receive the one-time payment the same way. The $250 check will arrive separately from your Social Security or SSI benefit; it will not be included with your monthly benefit payment.

Not everyone on Social Security or SSI will get a check. Anyone living outside of the United States or its territories will not get a check. Social Security beneficiaries who are minor children are excluded—but disabled adult children receiving Social Security or children receiving SSI payments will receive the one-time payment. SSI beneficiaries who receive benefits at a reduced rate of $30 because they live in a medical treatment facility (a nursing home or hospital) and Medicaid pays over 50% of the cost of their care, will not get a check. Individuals only entitled to Medicare and not to Social Security or SSI benefits will not see a check. In related incentives for older people contained in the federal stimulus bill, there is $20 billion in additional food stamp benefits—now called the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). This funding will increase the monthly SNAP (food stamp) benefit by nearly 14%. In Massachusetts, 575,000 people in the SNAP program will receive an additional $317 million in benefits over the next four years.

There is also a $40 billion program that extends unemployment insurance benefits, raising benefits by $25 a week. A $20 billion program will also give laid off workers who are eligible to buy into their previous employer’s health plan a 65% subsidy towards their premium for up to 9 months. Massachusetts will see roughly $2 million in added funding for meals on wheels nutrition program and mealsites, and a $3 billion hike in Medicaid matching funds for the federal government.

For more background on the $250 payment or the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, go to http://www.socialsecurity.gov/payment