440 people in county may miss out on hundreds of dollars

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Roughly 440 people in Douglas County have free money waiting for them.

To get it, all they have to do is fill out the paperwork.

But they have to act quickly. The deadline is today.

The “free money” is available to those who have not yet filed for their economic stimulus payment.

Statewide, that includes more than 50,000 people.

The deadline for filing is today, October 15.

The Internal Revenue Service issued a special reminder to low-income workers, Social Security and Veterans Affairs benefit recipients and railroad retirees – groups who aren't normally required to file tax returns that may qualify for a stimulus payment.

“If you or someone you know isn't normally required to file a tax return and you haven't done so this year, check on this today,” said Carrie Resch, IRS spokesperson.

The IRS also reminds potential filers that the money received from the economic stimulus payment will generally have no impact on eligibility for Medicare, Medicaid or other benefits.

In addition, the payment is not taxable, nor will it require the recipients to file future income tax returns.

As of last week, the IRS estimated that as many as 4.3 million recipients of certain Social Security and Veterans Affairs benefits nationwide may be eligible for, but haven't claimed, the economic stimulus payment.

In Alexandria alone, the IRS estimates that there are 300 people who are entitled to a stimulus payment but have not yet filed.

People must file an income tax return in order to receive an economic stimulus payment.

For people who have no tax liability and who have no requirement to file a tax return because their income is too low or nontaxable, there is a stimulus payment of up to $300 ($600 for married couples) plus a $300 payment for each qualifying child. People in this situation must have at least $3,000 in qualifying income from any combination of:

• Earned income.

• Non-taxable combat pay.

• Social Security retirement, disability and survivor benefits (Supplemental Security Income is not considered qualifying income).

• Veterans Affairs disability compensation, disability pension and survivor benefits or the Social Security equivalent portion of Tier I Railroad Retirement benefits.

Those who qualify should file a return by October 15 by getting package 1040A-3 from IRS.gov or a local IRS office, or by using Free File, which includes free electronic filing options for stimulus-payment-only filers, at IRS.gov.

The IRS’ Taxpayer Assistance Centers can also assist filers with preparing and filing the required return.

October 15 is also the deadline for taxpayers who earlier requested an extension to file this year.

The quickest place to get information on the stimulus payments is at the IRS Web site at www.IRS.gov.

People without Internet access can call 1-800-829-1040 or the IRS Stimulus Payment Hotline at 1-866-234-2942.

Tags: stimulus, payment, not, filed, last, date