According to a watchdog from the government, there is a palpable risk of around 9 million Americans losing out on the stimulus check. This stimulus check as a coronavirus aid would amount to $1200 per person, which could ease up the pressure that the citizens of America are currently undergoing. A report stated that almost 8.7 million citizens might not be receiving their stimulus check despite being eligible- due to incomplete records at the Treasury Department and IRS. The Government Accountability Office provided this information, as America gears towards another stimulus check.
The GAO Report on The Implementation of the Stimulus Check
This is the third report that has come out of the GAO which examines the CARES Act implementation worth $2.2 trillion, along with the other relief measures that Congress has decided to bring out along with the stimulus check. The original watchdog stated that the Treasury as well as the IRS have been trying to address this issue with little success. Since they don’t have the necessary information, they can’t precisely determine how many citizens are yet to get their stimulus checks. Goes without saying, such a scarcity of information could essentially hinder any efforts for mitigation, all the while displacing millions of citizens from their rightful payment.
Most of the individuals that have been affected by this are ones that don’t file taxes, according to the Government Accountability Office. Since there are almost 14 million unaccounted Americans- don’t file taxes, hence the IRS has no information on them- it makes it very difficult to receive stimulus checks. The authorities don’t have the necessary details to determine the eligibility of their stimulus check. According to the official website, around 5 million individuals used the ‘non-filers’ option of the IRS to register themselves for the stimulus check.
The ‘Non-Filer’ Tool To Help One Receive their Stimulus Check
As of now, every American has until the 15th of October to register themselves using the ‘non-filer’ tool. This ‘non-filer’ device is actually set up for couples with a cumulative income less than $24,000 and for citizens who earn less than $12,200. According to the IRS, it doesn’t matter if they earn an income or not- they would still be eligible for the payment. It has also been reported that around a million Americans didn’t get the quoted amount- receiving much less. Around 355,000 citizens who registered as non-filers with a child never received the extra $500. Close to 700,000 widows didn’t receive the stimulus check for their spouse had expired.
The report further mentioned that the GAO had advised the Treasury to start updating and refining their list of eligible recipients. And it would be extremely necessary to put in the names of candidates who haven’t filed for the EIP in order to establish communication efforts.
The money from stimulus checks can be extremely substantial, for low-income families need something to get over the rope in the middle of such a crisis. For individuals who earn a lot more, the payments get tapered as the income increases- until the payments are null.
