Millions of low-income Americans at risk of missing out on stimulus payments

KTLA ^ | 04/08/2020

[McGavin999]

Everyone who works and earns over $600 a year is required to file an income tax return. Who are these people they are talking about?

[hsmomx3]

No, you are NOT dumb!!!

LA...could even be Los Alamos!!!!

Seriously, have a good day and you are not dumb!!!

[sanjuanbob]

We’ve got the smartest prisoners in the world.

[MeneMeneTekelUpharsin]

I can just see some guy running around with wads of cash and a T-shirt that says "Vote for Pedro!".

[Savage Beast]

Are they talking about illegal imm8grants?

[sanjuanbob]

That’s a sin alright.

[rktman]

Well duh. It’s part of the PDJT’s evil plans. /S

[dp0622]

Thank you :)

you too.

[dp0622]

Even if they didn’t say so we know they are thinking it

[Buckeye McFrog]

What’s this KTLA??

It's a TV station in Los Angeles

[xp38]

same here.....stay individual....we ain’t numbers :)

[ozaukeemom]

That is incorrect.
My reportable income is low enough that the exemptions and filing status wipe out anything taxable. I have not filed in many years. So, I did a couple weeks ago. A zero refund/tax due. Took about 5 minutes. My husband gets SS so he would be getting the check anyway but I am not so, had to file.

[StAntKnee]

Make the free money known and they will come.

___________________________

Boy, howdy are you correct. These are people who flunk elementary school math but when it comes to knowing the exact penny they are owed in gimmedat benefits, how to job search without risking actually taking a job, how to beat the welfare system to buy smokes, get Obama phones, and much, much more, they are suddenly rocket scientists. I wouldn’t worry a bunch about them dropping through the cracks. I’d rather the system worry about how to stop them from scamming ten times the amount they are owed.

Good Lord, I’ve become cynical, eh?

[MD Expat in PA]

“KTLA has never heard of IRS forms W-2 or 1099, filed with the IRS.”

Technically W-2s are not filed with the IRS by the employer. They are filed with the SSA The W-2 only gets reported to the IRS when an individual files a tax return. If your gross earnings are below the thresholds listed below, you are not required to file a return.

Single under age 65 $12,200
Single age 65 or older $13,850
Married filing jointly, both spouses under 65 $24,400
Married filing jointly, one spouse age 65 or older $25,700
Married filing jointly, both spouses 65 or older $27,000
Married filing separately, any age $5.00
Head of household under age 65 $18,350
Head of household age 65 or older $20,000
Qualifying widow(er) under age 65 $24,400
Qualifying widow(er) age 65 or older $25,700

[NonValueAdded]

No, that number applies to the self-employed only. If you earn less than the STD deduction and don’t owe self-employment tax, you are not required to file.

[MD Expat in PA]

Everyone who works and earns over $600 a year is required to file an income tax return. Who are these people they are talking about

Not correct.You might be thinking of form 1099 for independent contractors. And the $600 threshold is for the employer of the contractor, the amount over which a 1099 must be issued to the contractor and filed with the IRS.

[whistleduck]

What was the purpose of a student loan?? Welfare?

Just another scam.

[McGavin999]

If you work, you get a w2 whether you file a return or not. That W2 has an address and social security number. They could use that.

[IndispensableDestiny]

Technically W-2s are not filed with the IRS by the employer. They are filed with the SSA .

Thanks for clearing that up for me. I seems that a functioning SSA should be able to inform the IRS of who is entitled to the checks.

[MD Expat in PA]

If you work, you get a w2 whether you file a return or not. That W2 has an address and social security number. They could use that.

Again, your employer does not send your W-2 to the IRS, it goes to the Social Security Administration (SSA).

SSA provides the IRS with the summary data (W-3) for all the W-2s filed by each employer and the IRS reconciles those numbers to what the employer reported on their quarterly 941’s but not the data on the individual employees, although I’m sure the IRS can get it if they want.

I seems that a functioning SSA should be able to inform the IRS of who is entitled to the checks.

In theory yes. But as I understood the $75k threshold for receiving the stimulus payment was based on adjusted gross income (AGI) which the SSA wouldn’t have nor would the IRS unless you filed a return.

There is also the question on compatibility between the SSA and IRS computer systems. Having worked on system migrations, it may not be as easy as many might think.