My wife & i are on SSI we both have been on this for a few years we are so confused as to what to do we have been told that we can file a tax return to recieve the tax stimulas rebate, then there are others who tell us we can't apply for this we don't work so our SSI benifits are all we have can we apply for the stimulas rebate if so how do we, we do not recieve a w-2 or 1099 from SSI.

The IRS has stated the Rebate checks would be sent to "recipients of Social Security, Railroad Retirement or veterans' benefits as well as taxpayers who do not make enough money to normally have to file a 2007 tax return."

Thus, recipients of a tax stimulus rebate check would also include those who are receiving social security benefits or veterans’ disability compensation, pension or survivors’ benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs in 2007.

Per the IRS. these people will be "eligible to receive a payment of $300 ($600 on a joint return) if they had at least $3,000 of qualifying income." The IRS has defined "Qualifying income" as including the following:

1. Social Security benefits,
2. Certain Railroad Retirement benefits,
3. Certain veterans’ benefits and
4. Earned income derived from Wages, Salaries, Tips and Self-Employment.

For joint tax returns, only a total of $3,000 of qualifying income from both spouses is required to be eligible for a payment.

In short, the good news is that it would appear that you may have received more than $3,000 in qualifying SS income in 2007. Hence, you would be eligible to receive the tax rebate but you must file the 2007 tax return.

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“My wife & i are on SSI we both have been on this for a few years we are so confused as to what to do we have been told that we can file a tax return to recieve the tax stimulas rebate, “----->To help Social Security recipients receiving SSI qualify for the stimulus benefits, the IRS lifted the minimum income threshold and filing requirements for recipients receiving SSI benefits. To receive benefits, the IRS required taxpayers to file 2007 tax returns in addition to meeting the minimum income thresholds. Since many SSI recipients do not have any taxable income, they do not have to file tax returns. To receive the economic stimulus, taxpayers who received SSI benefits did not have to file their returns by April 15, 2008. The IRS allowed SSI recipients to file their short-form 1040 returns by October 15, 2008, to qualify for the stimulus benefits. This allowed the IRS to obtain taxpayer identification information to issue the rebate checks. The IRS instructed SSI recipients to complete and sign IRS Form 1040A and write "Stimulus Payment" across the form.
“then there are others who tell us we can't apply for this we don't work so our SSI benifits are all we have can we apply for the stimulas rebate if so how do we, we do not recieve a w-2 or 1099 from SSI.”----> You are eligible if you or your family has at least $3,000 ;normally, certain Social Security payments are not subject to income tax. However, the economic stimulus law passed contains a special provision allowing Social Security recipients to count those benefits toward the qualifying income requirement of $3,000 and thereby qualify for the stimulus payment.