Commissioner Angel Gonzalez, Miriam Urra, Director of Allapattah Community Center and
Mayor Manny Diaz. Photo: Jorge R. Perez/City of Miami.

(Miami, FL) City of Miami Mayor Manny Diaz, Commissioner Angel González and Commissioner Joe Sánchez joined representatives from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) today at the Allapattah Community Center, 2257 NW North River Drive, Miami, to remind low-income seniors to claim their Economic Stimulus Payments.

Congress authorized economic stimulus payments that eligible households claim by filing a 2007 tax return. However, the IRS identified about 20 million low-income seniors, disabled veterans and others with disabilities who are not otherwise required to file a tax return and, as a result, are at risk of missing out on their $600 payments ($1200 for married couples).

“This is money that is very much needed in our community, especially for our low-income seniors,” said Mayor Manny Diaz. “It would be a shame to leave this money unclaimed. The residents of Miami are entitled to this money, and they should claim it before it is too late.”

On September 7, the IRS announced that 4.3 million people in this group had not yet filed. Of those, 27,178 people live in the City of Miami, and have more than $8 million in unclaimed Economic Stimulus Payments.

The Mayor and Commissioners urged residents to speak to family members or their family accountant to make sure they file their tax returns for 2007.

Eligibility requirements for the Economic Stimulus Payments for low-income seniors are as follows: You or your family has at least $3,000 in qualifying income from, or in combination with, Social Security benefits, Veterans Affairs benefits, Railroad Retirement benefits and earned income. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) does not count as qualifying income for the stimulus payment. You and any family members listed on your tax return have valid Social Security numbers. You are not a dependent or eligible to be a dependent on someone else’s federal tax return. (The same must be true of any family members claimed on your return.)

Eligible people have until October 15 to file for their payments.

For more information, you can visit www.irs.gov.