Millions of veterans, low-income senior citizens, and people with disabilities will not automatically receive CARES Act rebates because their income is so low or their benefits aren’t taxable, and therefore don’t file tax returns.

The Legal Aid Society is calling on Federal agencies, including the Department of Treasury, the Social Security Administration, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, to automate the delivery of rebates for recipients of SSI and Veterans benefits, to ensure these relief payments reach vulnerable groups.

It would be inequitable to unnecessarily force veterans, low-income senior citizens and people with disabilities to navigate a complex and confusing online process. Such a requirement would create additional and unnecessary hardships during normal times, they become unbearable during the current COVID-19 pandemic.

The Legal Aid Society has created a fact sheet on this issue which can be viewed here.

**Please note: The deadline to apply for CARES has been extended to November 21.

Read Legal Aid’s letter to the US Secretaries of Treasury and Veterans Affairs and the Social Security Commissioner here.