DHS: Pennsylvanians are in time to get their federal stimulus checks

The state Department of Human Services (DHS) said that those Pennsylvanians who have not received their federal stimulus checks they are in time to obtain the benefit.

DHS Secretary Teresa Miller today reminded Pennsylvanians who receive assistance in the form of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), or Medical Assistance that the CARES Act Economic Impact Paymentsdo not affect their benefits.

The Campaign for Working Families and the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities holds that somewhere between 350,000 and 450,000 Pennsylvanians have not received their stimulus payments.

According to WHYY, many families may have not automatically received their payments if their income is low enough that they don’t file taxes and their information is not on file with the IRS.

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Others may be under the false impression that they are not eligible for the one-time payment because they receive other state benefits such as TANF, SNAP or Medical Assistance or that the stimulus payment would affect their benefit amount , neither of which is the case.

The stimulus payment authorized in the federal CARES act would award a mother with two children a one-time payment of $2,200 — more than five months of TANF cash benefits at $403 per month.

“We’re talking about hundreds of millions of dollars that could come into Pennsylvania alone, let alone the rest of the country,” DHS Secretary Teresa Miller said Tuesday. “Clearly, that would have a huge impact on the economy, but also individuals and their families’ ability to pay bills and put food on the table and do what they need to do.”

The deadline to request EIP is October 15, 2020. Those who do not file taxes at all, or who file taxes and receive a refund by check, may need to provide information to the IRS to claim an EIP.

Miller also encouraged anyone whose work status has changed as a result of the pandemic to apply for safety net programs offered by the state.

“There should be no shame or stigma associated with asking for assistance, ever, and certainly during a global pandemic,” she said.