Press Releases

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – On Wednesday, Congresswoman Kendra Horn (OK-5) called on Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Social Security Administration (SSA) Commissioner Andrew Saul to provide economic impact payments automatically to seniors and other vulnerable populations who are not required to file taxes. The statement follows an announcement by the IRS this Monday indicating that people who do not typically file tax returns, including many seniors and others who receive benefits from the SSA, will need to file an abbreviated tax return to receive their payments under the recently enacted CARES Act.

“The IRS announcement that many seniors, disabled veterans, and social security beneficiaries  will have to file a simplified tax return to receive their economic impact payments goes against the spirit and the intent of the law that we passed,” said Congresswoman Horn. “The CARES Act is focused on delivering immediate help to Americans in need. That includes many Social Security and Veterans Administration beneficiaries who are not required to file taxes. Now the IRS has created unnecessary hurdles for those communities to receive help. I urge Treasury Secretary Mnuchin and Social Security Administration Commissioner Saul to uphold the intent of the CARES Act by allowing vulnerable groups to receive their economic impact payments without additional action.”

An estimated 20 million Americans over the age of 65 do not file a federal income tax return each year, for many because their only source of income is Social Security benefits.

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