Letters: Filing deadline nears for child stimulus payments; State provides deficient data

Filing deadline nears for child stimulus payments

Most persons are entitled to basic “Economic Stimulus Payments” of $1,200 under The “CARES Act of 2020” (P.L. 116.136). No action is needed by taxpayers who filed tax returns in 2018 or 2019. They will receive their payments automatically.

Beneficiaries of Social Security retirement or disability, Railroad Retirement VA and SSI who were not otherwise required to file income tax returns for 2018 or 2019 will also receive their payments automatically.

The IRS maintains a website for other taxpayers who were not required to file income tax returns for either year to enter their information to participate in the payment program.

There is an additional $500/child allowance for persons who have qualifying children under 17. In order for SSI and VA beneficiaries who don’t otherwise file tax returns to receive this allowance as a part of their automatic payment, they will need to enter their information on the same non-filers website before May 5. The window has closed for the other beneficiaries to receive this additional allowance as a part of their automatic payment.

The website is here: https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/non-filers-enter-payment-info-here. There is also a link under the resources tab at goodall.org

State provides deficient data on COVID-19 cases

I suspect that the Pennsylvania Department of Health is deliberately omitting data from their public reports that would be helpful to the working age population and policy makers as preparations are made to lift business restrictions in the state.

The department recently started to report nursing and personal care home information that indicates that 63% of COVID-19 deaths in the state are associated with the 2% of the population that lives or works in those facilities. The associated COVID-19 fatality rate is 83 times higher than that experienced in the remaining 12 million-plus residents of the state.

We need more.

Reporting a detailed breakdown of fatalities by age group using 10 year brackets through 85+ years of age would illuminate the risk of death that gets so much attention. And, a presentation of comorbidities by age group would strengthen personal and institutional risk assessment and advice. Other states (like NY) provide this information to their citizens. Why does the Wolf administration choose not to? Perhaps a realistic picture of COVID-19 risks does not fit the Governor’s mission.