Seniors can benefit from the economic stimulus law enacted on
February 13, 2008, but they need to file an income tax return. Seniors,
disabled veterans, and veterans’ widows will receive $300 payments if
they earned $3,000 in Social Security or veterans’ disability benefits
in 2007. In addition, workers who earned at least $3,000, but not
enough to pay income taxes, will be eligible for payments of $300. For
higher income individuals, the law provides rebate checks of up to $600
per individual. The stimulus payment begins to phase out for
individuals with adjusted gross incomes (AGI) over $75,000 and married
couples who file a joint return with AGI over $150,000.

In order to get a rebate, you need to file an income tax
return even if you do not have any tax liability. You will need to
report any Social Security income on the tax return. This does not mean
you will be taxed on your Social Security income, but you must report
it in order to get the rebate. If you file the tax return on time, you
should receive the rebate check in May or June.

For more information on the stimulus payments and what income tax forms to file, go to www.irs.gov or call 1-800-829-1040.

For a Senior Journal article "IRS Helps Low-Income Senior Citizens Qualify for Economic Stimulus Payments," click here.