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New guide to help organizations connect individuals with stimulus payment

This blog was originally posted on August 27, 2020 and has been updated on October 8, 2020 to reflect new information.

With the support of social service providers, community-based organizations, and nonprofits, millions of low-income and economically vulnerable people could access much needed financial relief designated by Congress under the CARES Act to help individuals make ends meet during the COVID-19 pandemic.

To aid you, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) produced Helping Consumers Claim the Economic Impact Payment (EIP): A guide for intermediary organizations that contains practical information for direct service organizations to support their client base.

The guide provides instructions for frontline staff on how to:

  • Discuss the EIP with their clients
  • Determine if clients need to take action to request their EIP
  • Support clients with what to expect and how to troubleshoot common issues

While most people who regularly file a tax return or receive federally administered assistance, like social security, were automatically sent their EIP, several million people have not yet received their payment. Most of these people have no tax filing obligation because they make too little income to file federal taxes.

The CARES Act calls on federal agencies, coordinated by the U.S. Department of the Treasury, to promote awareness of EIP and the CFPB is working with our partners at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to help reach these people and ensure they don’t miss out on this much needed assistance. In order for individuals to receive their EIP this year, the IRS requests eligible individuals and families to file a simple return through the non-filer portal on the IRS.gov website by November 21, 2020.* Individuals who miss this deadline can also file a 2020 tax return next year to receive the payment in 2021.

If you are a direct service provider serving people who are low-income, receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or Medicaid, dealing with housing insecurity, lacking access to technology, or have limited English proficiency and literacy, the CFPB needs your help reaching this potential EIP-eligible population. Community and social service organizations are a trusted resource for economically vulnerable populations and can help those they serve to learn about the EIP and the simple steps they need to take.

Use and share the information in the guide throughout your community and with people your organization serves. The guide and customizable flyer, in English and Spanish, were designed with your needs in mind to help reach people who may not know they’re eligible, or who may need assistance to submit their information and receive their payment.

As the impacts of the coronavirus continue to influence the financial well-being of millions of the most economically vulnerable people in this country, organizations like yours can play a vital role and help them access funds that can be used for buying food, paying bills, and more.

*Updated October 8, 2020. As of October 5th, the IRS extended the non-filers portal deadline to November 21st.

Find more information regarding COVID-19 from CFPB

We’re working to continuously update information for consumers during this rapidly evolving situation.

We will publish all COVID-19-related information and blogs to our resource page. Information should be considered accurate as of the blog publish date.

See our COVID-19 resource page

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