Budget 2021: Surprise increase in benefits welcomed by those most in need stuff.co.nz - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from stuff.co.nz Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
$2 Billion Worth Of Stimulus Checks Remain Unclaimed: Is Yours Still Available?
KEY POINTS
Uncashed checks are voided 12 months after the date of issuance
Americans can still claim their missed payments by filing a Recovery Rebate Rate
More than $2 billion worth of stimulus checks remain unclaimed or uncashed, according to data from the Internal Revenue Services.
The Economic Impact Payment, which is included in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), provided eligible Americans with $1,200 per adult and an additional $500 per child dependent.
While most of the checks have been delivered via direct deposit or paper checks, there are 1.25 million checks that were left uncashed, unclaimed or returned to the U.S. Treasury, the IRS said. The outstanding checks have a total value of roughly $2.1 billion.
Tuesday, 20 April 2021, 11:33 am
Covid-19 exacerbated existing levels of material
and emotional hardship for people on low core benefit rates,
a new study has found.
Dr Louise Humpage, a
sociologist at the University of Auckland who conducted the
study in collaboration with Child Poverty Action Group,
Auckland Action Against Poverty and FIRST Union, says most
benefit recipients were struggling to survive financially
before the national lockdown.
“Covid-19 cost hikes
in basic groceries and other goods really pushed them over
the edge,” she says.
The situation was particularly
bad for sole parents and people with disabilities or chronic
illness.
“Although many New Zealanders think benefit
Press Release – University of Auckland
Covid-19 exacerbated existing levels of material and emotional hardship for people on low core benefit rates, a new study has found.
Dr Louise Humpage, a sociologist at the University of Auckland who conducted the study in collaboration with Child Poverty Action Group, Auckland Action Against Poverty and FIRST Union, says most benefit recipients were struggling to survive financially before the national lockdown.
“Covid-19 cost hikes in basic groceries and other goods really pushed them over the edge,” she says.
The situation was particularly bad for sole parents and people with disabilities or chronic illness.
“Although many New Zealanders think benefit recipients got a $25 per week increase back in April 2020, many of our interviewees said it didn’t make one iota of difference because they only got a fraction of that due to clawbacks in supplementary assistance.”