IRS seeks 478 Andover retirees and vets who haven't filed for stimulus

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July 3, 2008

If you are a retiree or disabled veteran, you could be one of 478 Andover residents eligible for an economic stimulus payment. But you must apply for it.

The Internal Revenue Service has announced a new summer campaign to reach those retirees and disabled veterans who qualify for the economic stimulus payment but have not filed to claim it. New statistics indicate about 74 percent in this group are accounted for in the stimulus payments being sent, leaving about 5.2 million potential recipients remaining.

In Massachusetts, 66 percent of the 443,000 potential retiree/disabled veterans' filers are accounted for, leaving about 151,000 potential recipients still needing to file for their economic stimulus payments. The IRS says that 478 of these people live in Andover.

"Most people only need to file a tax return as they normally do," said Peggy Riley, IRS spokesperson for New England.

"The IRS will calculate eligibility and the payment amount. However, many retirees and veterans do not normally file a tax return because their benefits are not taxable. This year, they must file in order to receive an economic stimulus payment," Riley said.

Riley also stressed to retirees that receiving the stimulus payment should have no impact on other federal benefits currently being received. The stimulus payment is not taxable. Absent any other filing requirements, filing a tax return to receive a stimulus payment does not mean that retirees will have to start filing tax returns again.

Riley also reminded people that it has more than 400 local Taxpayer Assistance Centers operating normal business hours Monday through Friday. These centers can provide assistance to retirees and veterans trying to receive their payments. A list for addresses and office hours can be found at "Contact My Local IRS Office" at www.irs.gov.

"Some retirees and others who normally do not file a tax return may be eligible and not know it. And, that's where we could use the public's help as well. If you know of a retiree or a disabled veteran who might qualify, please pass along the information to them," said Shulman.

The Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 generally provided for payments of $600 ($1,200 for married couples filing joint returns or the amount equal to the 2007 net income tax liability, whichever is less, ), plus $300 for each qualifying child. Payments also begin to phase out for individuals with adjusted gross incomes greater than $75,000 ($150,000 married couples filing jointly).