So y’all’s government apparently sent around $1.4 billion in covid-19 stimulus checks to dead people.
According to a report released by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (USGAO), almost 1.1 million dead people received $1,200 stimulus payments as of April 30th.
How did this happen you may ask? Well, the USGAO says that the payments were based on a system that was used during the 2008 Great Recession. This system apparently wasn’t in sync with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the U.S. Treasury. In addition, they did not use death records to filter anything out.
“The number of economic impact payments going to decedents highlights the importance of consistently using key safeguards in providing government assistance to individuals,” the report said.
“IRS has access to the Social Security Administration’s full set of death records, but treasury and its Bureau of the Fiscal Service, which distribute payments, do not.”
“USGAO recommends that Congress provide treasury with access to the Social Security Administration’s full set of death records, and require that treasury consistently use it, to help reduce similar types of improper payments.”
The IRS has reportedly said any payments that were disbursed to deceased or incarcerated people should be returned.
Donnie on the other hand is here for people receiving a second round of stimulus checks, so perhaps the system may be corrected during the next disbursment!