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It’s confirmed — Third release of stimulus checks goes out today

ASG Treasurer, Ueligitone Tonumaipe’a
reporters@samoanews.com

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — ASG Treasury has confirmed that the third-release of the Economic Impact Payments (EIP), or stimulus checks for qualified local residents is still set for today, Friday, Aug. 7, 2020.

Treasurer Ueligitone Tonumaipe’a had announced last week Thursday that the third release of the EIP checks was delayed from last Friday to today, Aug. 7th “due to some unforeseen circumstances.”

According to Treasury, 1,387 stimulus checks were released today, worth $2.1 million.

Tonumaipe’a had explained that “as a result of the higher than expected number of qualified non-filers,” the 3rd release would include 2019 filers up to June 30, 2020 and any prior tax returns that have been corrected since the last EIP release.

Before 7a.m. yesterday morning, Samoa News had already received public inquiries from local tax fillers saying that they are expecting stimulus checks and wanting to know if the distribution would still happen today as they needed the money — for a variety of reasons.

Responding to Samoa News inquiries, ASG Treasury said yesterday that stimulus checks were to be delivered to the Post Office yesterday and available for pick up today — for those with mailing addresses.

For taxpayers without mailing addresses, they can pick up their checks at the Treasury’s Disbursing Office on the ground floor of the A.P Executive Office Building in Utulei.

According to Treasury Department, the 3rd EIP release covers the period from the last release until June 30th, 2020 and all prior tax returns that were in error and have since been corrected. Please refer any inquiries to the Tax Office at their email address: stimulus@tr.as.gov and Treasury will get back as soon as possible.

Treasury also said that all filers after June 30th — July filers — and any tax returns that have been corrected after June 30th would be batched as a fourth EIP release pending funding availability and approval from the US Treasury Department.