Checks will be reduced by $5 for every $100 exceeding those thresholds. It completely phases out at $99,000 in income for individuals, $146,500 for head of household filers with one child and $198,000 for joint filers with no children.
However, you are still eligible for a check if you have no income or if you rely solely on non-taxable government benefit programs like Supplemental Security Income benefits, or SSI, from Social Security.
You also must have a valid Social Security number in order to receive the funds.
So, how do poor people get the short end?
The government knows where to send the money based on your latest tax return, however, they would prefer not to mail you a check. They’re assuming most have their checks directly deposited in their bank accounts. The government is looking to directly send your money to those accounts.
Who is most likely to not have their tax returns direct deposited? – poor folks with no bank accounts.
I was in the check out line at Cousins Fresh Foods in Chester a couple weeks ago and felt bad for a lady talking loud on her phone to someone about how long it’s taking to get her income tax check this year. It’s been 3-weeks and she hadn’t received her check yet and the things she was going to do if it didn’t receive in week four won’t be repeated here because I don’t even know how to spell some of them curse words.
A lady like that may receive her coronavirus stimulus check in 4 to 8 weeks, as will most people who will have those checks mailed out.
Who is most likely to have moved in the last 18-months? Poor folks. I can imagine there will be a lot of checks ‘returned-to-sender.’
That’s not cool, but even government coronavirus stimulus checks favors the favored.
Black Covid-19 
5 replies on “The poor gets the short end of coronavirus relief bill”
Q: Do the poor people in Chester read your blog?
Why am I asking: you may want to tell them how they can get a bank account by signing up for one remotely? Do you have a friend in a local Chester bank that you can work with? Is there a link that local banks offer? Do they have to supply certain documents?
Have they done a change of address with the US Post Office? That link is on-line.
Just thinking of ways to provide solutions to the problem you identified. They certainly need the stimulus checks.
PS: your daughter’s masks while fashionable and timely, may not prevent the spread of COVID-19.
https://www.publicsource.org/fact-check-are-homemade-face-masks-helpful-for-protecting-against-covid-19-coronavirus/?utm_source=PublicSource+newsletter&utm_campaign=e64251b65b-ROUNDUP_CAMPAIGN_2020_03_26&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_b58fd7b533-e64251b65b-337372093&mc_cid=e64251b65b&mc_eid=68c07e40b0
Rhonda Moore Johnson, MD, MPH
412.389.3613 (M)
rhondamoorejohnson@outlook.com
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I don’t know who reads the blog other than subscribers. I don’t have any banking friends. Daughter’s mask are probably no more effective than what most people are wearing, but they look nice. Probably more effective than the bandannas Trump suggest we wear
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Im 19 and worked when i was 18 but didnt work enough to file taxes, i moved with my dad to salina ok its a tiny town and its been hell trying to find work. My dad is disabled and we both have polasistic kidneys hes gotten a transplant and takes 6 amune system lowering pills so cov19 could easily kill him. We were both excited to here we were getting checks all the thing we could do. But i dont see how we are going to get the checks help
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I don’t care for banks but I opened account for direct deposit when awarded disability around 2006. I was told I had no choice, if I didn’t find a bank the feds would use one they do business with. Fortunately , in my area most checking/debit accounts are FREE. Never been charged one penny. I don’t use a debit card because of privacy reasons and will never consider checks. Anyone who needs a bank account for direct deposit should call around. Because of competition most are FREE.
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From what I read about the Stimulus Checks, SSI are EXCLUDED in the final bill. Democrats allowed the bill to be finalized and then REQUESTED that SSI recipients be included. They didn’t demand anything for SSI. Unless they change it AGAIN before Trump signs it, the poor get the short end of the stick as usual. The “request” was only a lame excuse were they will claim later they tried. I hope they do change it but I will be shocked if they make any effort whatsoever.
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