Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Another round of tax refund checks — totaling more than $2 million — is scheduled for release today, Monday, Sept. 19, providing another cash infusion into the local economy.

In a brief statement issued last Friday afternoon, ASG Treasurer, Malemo Tausaga announced that the 21st batch of tax refunds for 789 taxpayers who filed on May 19 to partial June 28, would receive their tax refund checks on Sept. 19.

According to Treasury, the tax refunds will be distributed through direct deposit, by mail and for those who don’t have a mailing address on their tax returns, they will be able pick up refunds at the Treasury Disbursing Office on the ground floor of the A.P. Lutali Executive Office Building (EOB).

Of the total tax refunds of more than $2.27 million released today, $710,773 is paid from locally collected funds and more than $1.56 million from the Additional Child Tax Credit, which is funded by the US Internal Revenue Service.

Treasury again reiterated that due to the ANZ Bank closure by the end of this month, all taxpayers expecting refunds to be direct deposited to that bank, will receive their checks in paper form in the mail and/ or for pick up at the Disbursing Office.

“Do not visit the Tax Office,” Treasury said once again and reminded the community that those picking up their checks at the Disbursing Office that social distancing and wearing a face mask is strictly enforced at the EOB.

The latest tax refunds come at a time when some tax payers — claiming to be waiting for their refunds — have queried Samoa News on when the next batch would be released. And some are complaining about the long delay in tax refunds.

Taxpayers who have already filed their 2021 tax returns are now eager to find out when tax rebates under the new Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) will be issued, after the Fono approved last week an Administration bill, adopting a local EITC law for a limited time.

The EITC is funded with American Samoa’s allocation through the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021 from the U.S Treasury Department.

The Fono approved bill is now being returned to the governor for review and approval with no changes to the original language of the bill submitted by the Administration. (See Samoa News edition last Friday for the latest update on this legislation.)