Some Annuitants Must Take Immediate Action to Receive $500 per Dependent under Coronavirus Relief Act This Year
Railroad retirees are entitled to receive a payment of $1,200 per person under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, or CARES Act, signed into law by President Trump on March 27. It also provides an additional $500 per dependent child.
However, for individuals who did not file an income tax return for 2018 or thus far for 2019, they will need to take action by noon Eastern time on April 22 to receive the extra $500 per dependent on their CARES Act Economic Impact Payment.
Such individuals will receive the $1,200 per person, which should be issued in the coming weeks, but the Internal Revenue Service does not have dependent information for people who have not filed a recent income tax return.
They should go to https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/non-filers-enter-payment-info-here to enter information on their dependents, as well as provide their banking information in order to receive the payment more quickly by direct deposit as opposed to a paper check. Additional details are available at https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/ssa-rrb-recipients-with-eligible-children-need-to-act-by-wednesday-to-quickly-add-money-to-their-automatic-economic-impact-payment-irs-asks-for-help-in-the-plus-500-push.
Individuals who do not meet the noon Eastern time deadline will still receive the $1,200 payment, and be eligible to receive the $500 per dependent. However, the additional $500 will be handled as part of a 2020 income tax return filed next year.
And since the deadline is noon Eastern time, affected individuals will need to enter the relevant information by 11 a.m. in the Central time zone, 10 a.m. in the Mountain time zone, and 9 a.m. in the Pacific time zone.
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