The IRS Commissioner, Charles Rettig, recently contacted tax professional groups with an appeal for help from the nation’s tax professionals. His message stressed the importance that the taxpaying public is made aware of the Economic Impact Payments that are currently available to millions of qualifying Americans.

The IRS has created flyers for you to share with your clients, to post on your website and social media sites and to share in whatever ways you can with members of your community.

We appreciate that the IRS looks to tax professional groups to spread this message. We strongly encourage you to share the information on these important payments. To stay up-to-date on all the latest tax news and office resources to help you and your clients navigate the coronavirus situation, visit https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus.

In his request, the Commissioner said: 

At the IRS, we are soon going to be coordinating the delivery of Economic Impact Payments in the amount of $1,200 to every eligible American. As you know, things are moving fast in a most difficult environment and we want to get this right, from every perspective.

The IRS has strong support from the national, state and local tax communities, general and tax-related media, state and local tax authorities, etc. However, we need to reach beyond our normal contacts to reach many lower income, non-filers, military, veterans, ethnic and homeless communities who are not in the system and might otherwise not step up to provide information that would enable the IRS to generate the payments on their behalf. We need to mobilize these communities in a significant manner, with the full support of the IRS throughout.

I have attached some information that can be shared now. Social Security beneficiaries who are not typically required to file tax returns will not need to file an abbreviated tax return to receive an Economic Impact Payment. Instead, payments will be automatically deposited into their bank accounts. People with an adjusted gross income of up to $75,000 for individuals and up to $150,000 for married couples filing joint returns will receive the full $1,200 payment and up to $500 for each qualifying child. The IRS will use the information on the Form SSA-1099 or Form RRB-1099 to generate Economic Impact Payments to recipients of benefits reflected in the Form SSA-1099 or Form RRB-1099 who are not required to file a tax return and did not file a return for 2018 or 2019. This includes senior citizens, Social Security recipients and railroad retirees who are not otherwise required to file a tax return

By early next week we will have specific information available about how people can go online to provide information (others could file an informational “zero” return) and, if they also provide banking information, they could receive their Economic Impact Payment quickly by direct deposit. Others, would receive a paper check.