National Long Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center

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  Suite 801
  Washington, DC 20036
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  (F) 202.332.2949

Economic Stimulus

Economic Stimulus Information and Resources

In 2008, Congress approved an Economic Stimulus package that includes stimulus payments to most American households. To access the stimulus payments, an individual is required to file a 2007 tax return (even if their income is normally low enough that they are not required to file a return). To qualify, a person has to have more than $3000 in income. Even if a person does not have earned income, they can still qualify if their Social Security benefits, Veteran�s Affairs benefits, and/or railroad retirement benefits equal at least $3000. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) does not count towards the $3000 minimum, so SSI recipients must have at least $3000 in income from other sources to qualify for the stimulus payment.

Particularly important for many residents of long-term care facilities, receiving a payment under the stimulus package does not affect eligibility for Medicaid. The payment does not count as income in the month it is received, and it does not count as a resource (asset) for 60 days after the month in which it was received.

Signing the Tax Form on Behalf

of an Individual Who is Unable

Resources:

AARP

The National Council on Aging

Who can sign the Tax Form on behalf of an Individual who is unable?

See the IRS Publication 17, Your Federal Income Tax for Individuals,

2007, www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p17.pdf

When someone can sign for you. You can appoint an agent to sign your return if

you are:

1. Unable to sign the return because of disease or injury,

2. Absent from the United States for a continuous period of at least 60 days

before the due date for filing your return, or

3. Given permission to do so by the IRS office in your area.

Power of attorney. A return signed by an agent in any of these cases must have a power of attorney (POA) attached that authorizes the agent to sign for you. You can use a POA that states that the agent is granted authority to sign the return, or you can use Form 2848, Power of Attorney and Declaration of Representative. Part I of Form 2848 must state that the agent is granted authority to sign the return.

Unable to sign. If the taxpayer is mentally incompetent and cannot sign the return, it must be signed by a court-appointed representative who can act for the taxpayer.

If the taxpayer is mentally competent but physically unable to sign the return or POA, a valid �signature� is defined under state law. It can be anything that clearly indicates the taxpayer's intent to sign. For example, the taxpayer's �X� with the signatures of two witnesses might be considered a valid signature under a state's law.

AARP has developed some materials for consumers on getting their Economic Stimulus payments:

● The Easy Guide to Getting Your Economic Stimulus Payment -

http://assets.aarp.org/www.aarp.org_/articles/taxaide/201527_step-by-step.pdf

● Sample 1040A form - http://assets.aarp.org/www.aarp.org_/articles/taxaide/1040aFinal_HiRes.pdf

● Find a Tax Aide Site in your area - https://locator.aarp.org/vmis/sites/tax_aide_locator.jsp

The National Council on Aging (NCoA) has developed informational materials related to the Stimulus benefits and pulled together additional resources that advocates can use to inform and assist consumers.

Go to the links below to access the information, available at www.MyMedicareCommunity.org:

● Fact Sheet developed by the National Council on Aging:

    http://www.ncoa.org/userfiles/file/FactSheetStimulusPckg.pdf

● Link to NCOA�s My Medicare Community website page with

    resources, information, and sample forms related to the

   Economic Stimulus Package:

   http://www.mymedicarecommunity.org/showthread.php?t=2700

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