Oct 15, 2008 Economic Stimulus Deadline

It's Not Too Late to Claim Your Economic Stimulus Payment

You must file a return by October 15 to receive a payment prior to year's end. It can take up to eight weeks for the IRS to process the return and issue the check.

People who have no tax filing requirement but have at least $3,000 in qualifying income should file a simple Form 1040A to claim the minimum payment of $300 ($600 for married couples) plus the $300 payment for each qualifying child younger than 17 as of Dec. 31, 2007. Qualifying income includes any combination of earned income, nontaxable combat pay as well as certain payments from the Social Security Administration, Department of Veterans’ Affairs and the Railroad Retirement Board.

For taxpayers who are required to file an income tax return, the IRS will use their 2007 tax return information to determine eligibility for economic stimulus payments of up to $600 ($1,200 for married couples) plus the $300 payment per each qualifying child.

Social Security benefits considered qualifying income include retirement, disability and survivor payments; Supplemental Security Income, known as SSI, is not qualifying income. Veterans Affairs benefits considered qualifying income include disability compensation, disability pension and survivor payments. Qualifying Railroad Retirement payments include the social security equivalent portion of Tier 1 benefits.

Taxpayers must have a valid Social Security Number to qualify for the payment; this includes both spouses filing a joint return and any dependents. Married members of the military may receive economic stimulus payments this fall, even if their spouses or children don’t have social security numbers, following the newly-enacted Heroes Earnings Assistance and Relief Tax Act of 2008. Also, people cannot be claimed or be eligible to be claimed as a dependent on another person’s tax return.

For more information about the Economic Stimulus payments visit the IRS Web site at IRS.gov.

As seen on taxact.com as Summertime Tax Tip 2008

Existing Home Sales Rise

Existing Home Sales Hit 5 Month High

Existing-home sales rose in July to the highest level in five months, although they continue to be well below the numbers from last year at this time, according to the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.

Existing-home sales - including single-family, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops - increased 3.1 percent in July to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5 million units from a downwardly revised level of 4.85 million in June. Sales were 13.2 percent lower than the 5.76 million-unit pace in July 2007.

NAR President Richard F. Gaylord, a broker with RE/MAX Real Estate Specialists in Long Beach, Calif., said the up-and-down pattern may break soon.

"We hope the new tools in the hands of home buyers from the recently enacted housing stimulus package will spark a sustained sales uptrend in the months ahead," he said. "Buyers who've been on the sidelines should take a closer look at what's available to them now in terms of financing and incentives. Given some of the inventory on the market, we also strongly encourage buyers to get a professional home inspection."

Reprinted from REALTOR® Magazine [August, 2008] with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.