The IRS has issued nearly 160 million economic impact payments to American households – but there are daily report of eligible citizens not getting their check and running out of cash amidst this pandemic. According to a new findings by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, about 12 million low-income individuals must give their information to the IRS by Oct. 15 – or they risk missing out on a collective $12 billion worth of financial assistance. These are people who do not typically file tax returns and therefore don’t have information on file with the tax agency. They also don’t participate in other programs, like Social Security, which means their payments weren’t sent automatically.
“An aggressive outreach program is needed at the state and local levels to inform eligible individuals, who by definition have very low incomes, that they are eligible and to help them undertake the required steps,” researchers wrote. “These funds would go to extremely low-income individuals and families at a time when need is rising due to the pandemic.”
