Question: Regarding Stimulus No. 3 and Stimulus/Rebate No. 4, I have not received either one. Could you know of why and furnish me a contact?
Answer: You are referring to the third Economic Impact Payment, which was issued by the federal government last year, and the Act 115 tax rebate, which the state of Hawaii is distributing now.
People who were eligible for the third EIP but did not receive it can seek it now by filing a 2021 federal income tax return and claiming the Recovery Rebate Credit on that return, according to the Internal Revenue Service. The maximum credit is $1,400 for each qualifying adult, plus $1,400 for each eligible child or adult dependent.
Single filers who earned more than $80,000 in 2020, or $160,000 if married filing jointly or $120,000 if head of household, were not eligible for any portion of the third EIP. However, numerous readers we’ve heard from weren’t skipped because they made too much money. They missed out because they made so little money they weren’t required to file a federal income tax return. But they should have filed nonetheless, to claim the third stimulus and potentially other valuable tax credits, such as the Child Tax Credit, the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child and Dependent Care Credit, the IRS says.
The agency estimates that about 9 million people nationwide eligible for some or all of those credits failed to file a 2021 federal income tax return to claim them. Eligible people are encouraged to do so now, via IRS.gov/FreeFile or ChildTaxCredit.gov/file.
As for the Hawaii rebate, to receive it you must file a 2021 Hawaii income tax return by the end of this year. If you filed before Aug. 31 and have not received an electronic direct deposit, you may receive a paper check in the mail. The paper checks are behind schedule, and it seems unlikely that all will be mailed by the end of this month, according to information posted as of Friday on the state Department of Taxation’s website. For more information, including about filing a Hawaii return online, in case you have not already filed, see tax.hawaii.gov/.
Q: What’s going on? One friend got into the application for student loan forgiveness, but the rest of us got “access denied.”
A: The U.S. Department of Education began beta-testing the online application for one-time federal student debt relief on Friday, warning that the application would be available on and off as the department refines its technical processes ahead of the official launch, which is expected to be later this month. If you try again and still can’t get in, don’t worry, the department says, because there’s no financial advantage to applying early. Forms submitted during the beta-testing phase will be processed after the form officially launches, it said. For more information and a link to the beta form, see studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/debt-relief- info.
Q: Auwe! There’s all this help for renters, but what about homeowners?
A: Pandemic-era mortgage and utility relief is available to Honolulu County homeowners through a different program, called the O‘ahu Homeowner Assistance Fund. Read the eligibility requirements and apply at hawaiiancouncil.org/oahuhome.
Mahalo
Mahalo to two Aina Haina good Samaritans, Tony M. and Chase, who helped my husband, Neil. He fell onto the sidewalk during his morning walk and couldn’t get up. Thank you for calling 911. EMTs Nick and Harlan from the Wailupe Emergency Station gave Neil immediate attention and assessed his condition so accurately that we knew what to expect when we got him to Queen’s ER. Thank you to these four “earth angels.” — Susan
Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 7-500, Honolulu, HI 96813; call 808-529-4773; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
