Helpful Information
Special Economic Stimulus Payments Not Countable for Public Benefits
Persons receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Food Stamps, the Medicare Part D Low Income Subsidy (LIS) or other federal benefit can receive the special economic stimulus payments without any impact on their benefits. The Social Security Administration (SSA) has issued instructions explaining that the stimulus payments do not count as income for purpose of determining SSI eligibility or payment amount and also will not count as a resource for two months following the month of receipt. The Social Security Administration had previously sent similar instructions to the same effect with respect to the Low Income Subsidy for the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit.
While a person whose only income is SSI is not eligible to receive an economic stimulus payment, there are many SSI recipients who have at least $3,000 in other annual income, such as Social Security benefits, who are eligible to receive the payments and who should file an income tax return in order to receive it.