Public Employee Press

Feds offer rebates, but only if you file

Congress recently passed an economic stimulus package which will provide tax rebates to a large number of taxpayers later this year. The rebates, generally, will be $600 for a single person, $1,200 for couples and $300 for each child, reduced if a single person’s income is over $75,000 or a married couple’s income is over $150,000. Earned income, which includes Social Security for this rebate only, must be at least $3,000.

The key to getting this rebate is that a federal tax return must be filed. Many taxpayers, especially those whose income is only Social Security, are generally not required to file tax returns and they don’t. If your total salary and Social Security income is over $3,000, you must file a federal tax return to obtain this rebate.

— Sheldon Barasch
Supervising Attorney, MELS