Message from Senator Sheldon Whitehouse

 

Dear Mr. Quiett:

I wanted to alert you to some details regarding the stimulus package that the Senate approved last month with my strong support.

As you may know, the stimulus package, as originally introduced, would not have included the nation's 21.1 million older Americans who live primarily on Social Security. I fought hard to include these elderly Americans in the stimulus package, and am pleased to report that these seniors will receive rebates under the final bill.

The economic stimulus bill will now provide rebate checks, starting at $300, to low- and middle-income Americans with at least $1 of tax liability or $3,000 in income in 2007. If you've received at least $3,000 in Social Security or veterans' disability benefits (including payments to survivors) in 2007, you will be eligible for a $300 rebate. These rebates are tax-free—you will not have to pay additional taxes next year on your rebate check.

Assuming you are eligible for the rebate, you will need to file a tax return for 2007 to receive the rebate. This doesn't mean you have to pay taxes—the IRS just needs to know where to send rebate checks.

In response to my concerns that seniors and other Americans who do not normally file taxes may have difficulty filling out the standard IRS forms, the IRS has simplified the filing requirements to help these eligible rebate recipients file their tax returns. Filing instructions can be found at http://www.irs.gov/irs/article/0,,id=179096,00.html. I will also be hosting workshops with the IRS for seniors who need help filing their returns at Westerly Senior Center, 39 State Street, on March 26 at 11:30 a.m., and at Cranston Senior Center, 1070 Cranston Street, on March 28 at 1 p.m. I will also be hosting other events on this issue, the dates and locations of which will be announced later.

I hope this information helps you. If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to let me know.

Sincerely,

Sheldon