Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — American Samoa residents and those in other US territories on social security will not be getting their stimulus checks directly from the US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) — like the rest of the US — but instead will receive them next month through their territorial government tax office.

This is according to the US Social Security Administration (SSA) when releasing last Thursday afternoon the latest information regarding Economic Impact Payments (EIP) — popularly known as the stimulus checks — for social security beneficiaries living in the five US territories.

According to SSA, “special rules” in the law — referring to the CARES Act — apply to the US territories (which is the same statement found on the IRS “EIP Eligibility and General Information website).

“In general, the tax authority in each territory, not the IRS, will pay the EIP to eligible residents based on information the IRS will provide to the territories,” the SSA statement says. “It is anticipated that beneficiaries in the territories could begin receiving their EIP in early June.”

Commissioner of Social Security Andrew Saul says the federal agency has been working with the IRS to provide the necessary information about Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) beneficiaries in order to automate and expedite their EIP.

(Samoa News notes that residents in American Samoa do not qualify for the SSI.)

“While millions of our beneficiaries have already received their EIPs from the IRS, we continue to work hard for those beneficiaries who are awaiting their payment from the IRS,” Saul said.

Samoa News was informed by at least two local residents who receive social security that they’ve already received their stimulus money — $1,200 per person — early this month through direct deposit to their respective bank accounts.

And the reason, is that both filed for social security upon retirement in the US, the pair said.

The SSA in their national statement provides links to each territorial government website for more information on the stimulus payment.

For American Samoa, it’s the website — www.americansamoa.gov — which provides the “2020 Stimulus Funds FAQ” frequently asked questions information  sheet dated May 1st, for stimulus checks for local qualified tax payers. (See Samoa News editions May 4 and May 6th for the latest update.) American Samoa residents can send questions to email address (stimulus@tr.as.gov) regarding the stimulus checks.

Visit the IRS at www.irs.gov/coronavirus for the latest information, while Social Security will continue to update the agency’s web page

www.socialsecurity.gov/coronavirus/ with additional information.