More than 34,500 retirees and disabled veterans in Western New York have not filed to claim the economic stimulus payments of $300 to $600 that they are eligible to receive, the IRS said Thursday.

More than three out of every five eligible retirees and disabled veterans in Western New York who have not filed a tax return to claim their stimulus payment live in Erie County, said Kevin McKeon, an IRS spokesman.

One of every four Western New York residents who are eligible to receive a stimulus payment but did not claim it live in the City of Buffalo — 8,687 individuals in all, the IRS said. A total of 2,155 West Seneca residents failed to claim the stimulus payments they’re eligible to receive, as did 1,754 in Amherst and 1,240 in Cheektowaga. In Niagara Falls, 2,230 eligible individuals did not claim their stimulus payments.

Statewide, one of every three retirees and disabled veterans who are eligible to receive the economic stimulus payment failed to file the federal tax return required to claim it, the IRS said.

What’s keeping those eligible individuals from receiving their economic stimulus payments is their failure to file a federal income tax return, even if they aren’t required to do so because their incomes are low or they receive Social Security benefits or money from other untaxed sources.
Those taxpayers still can qualify for a stimulus payment of $300 for individuals or $600 for a married couple if they have earned income, Social Security benefits or disabled veterans benefits of at least $3,000. But those taxpayers must file a tax return to get it.

“Many retirees and veterans do not normally file a tax return because their benefits are not taxable,” McKeon said. “This year, they must file in order to receive an economic stimulus payment.”

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