Many people who qualify for Social Security disability benefits do not own a bank account so many of them receive their benefits through a direct express debit card. Each month these benefits are placed on the card for the beneficiary to use, but this is not an option to receive the economic stimulus payments issued by the government in response to the COVID – 19 pandemic. Social Security reported that people who receive their Social Security benefits through the direct express card will have to receive their stimulus payments via either a direct deposit to a bank account or through a paper check. Unfortunately, because most stimulus payments are already being processed people who fall into this category will have to wait for a paper check in the mail. Below is the information Social Security released earlier this month.
If you use or used the IRS’ Non-Filer Tool to enter dependent information, you will not receive your automatic $1,200 payment on your Direct Express card. You will receive both your $1,200 payment and each child’s $500 payment on a non-Direct Express bank account you can provide, or by mail if you leave bank information empty, and only if the IRS has not already processed your $1,200 payment. If you started receiving Social Security (retirement, survivors, disability) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) before January 1, 2020, you did not file a tax return in 2019 or 2018, and you have a qualifying child under 17, your deadline established by the IRS to enter information in its Non-Filer Tool has passed. You will still receive your automatic $1,200 payment on your Direct Express card, but you will need to file a tax return next year to get a $500 payment per qualifying child. Social Security and SSI recipients who started receiving their monthly benefit on or after January 1, 2020 may still use the Non-Filer Tool for their qualifying child.
