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<p class="MsoNormal">Dear Fellow Federationists:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Late Monday night Congress passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021. This bill provides for an “additional 2020 recovery rebate for individuals” in the amount of $600 per person. Married couples who file jointly will receive $1,200
and $600 per eligible child (aged 16 and under), if applicable.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Similar to the previous Economic Impact Payments, eligibility will be based on one’s 2019 tax return. Full recovery rebates will go to individuals with up to $75,000 in adjusted gross income, heads of household with up to $112,500, and
married couples under $150,000. Individuals with $87,000 or more in income and married couples who file jointly earning $174,000 or more will not receive any recovery rebate.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Similar to the CARES Act, individuals who are claimed as a dependent on someone else’s tax return will not qualify for an individual recovery rebate. As with the stimulus checks sent through the CARES Act this Spring, you will still need
a valid Social Security number in order to be eligible. This time, however, a spouse who has a Social Security number who files jointly with a spouse who does not will still receive their own $600 check. Their children may also qualify, provided they have
Social Security numbers of their own.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Recovery rebates are set to be sent to federal beneficiaries, such as those who receive income from Social Security, Supplemental Security Income or Veterans Administration, even if they did not file 2019 returns. The payments will be protected
from garnishment by banks or levies by debt collectors. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Recovery rebates will be considered unearned income and will not affect one's Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits. This spring’s economic impact payments did not have an effect on Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients,
as long as the funds were used within twelve months of receipt. We anticipate that the same rule will apply for the additional recovery rebate. We will send further legislative alerts as we learn more details.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Warm regards,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">John<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">John G. Paré Jr. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Executive Director for Advocacy and Policy <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">National Federation of the Blind<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">200 East Wells Street<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Baltimore, MD 21230<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Telephone: (410) 659-9314, extension 2218<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Cell phone: (410) 917-1965<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Email: jpare@nfb.org <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The National Federation of the Blind is a community of members and friends who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation’s blind. Every day we work together to help blind people live the lives they want.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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