According to Social Security Works, the 2008 stimulus payments also required everyone to file with the IRS in order to receive the benefit, and 3.5 million Social Security beneficiaries and veterans never got those payments. The IRS advises that "For those concerned about visiting a tax professional or local community organization in person to get help with a tax return, these economic impact payments will be available throughout the rest of 2020." EVERYBODY is concerned with getting in-person help filing a tax return because of course they are! We're supposed to be staying at home so we don't get the deadly virus that prompted this $1,200 payment in the first place!

"At best, the payments will be delayed—even though the federal government pays these people benefits right now, each and every month," Altman says. Treasury is already authorized in the bill just to send the payment along with regular monthly benefits. It would be that simple. This is also a group of people for whom filing taxes online could be extremely difficult if not impossible. It is so unnecessary and harmful.

Which is exactly how Trump wants it to be. Congress needs to step in and stand up to Trump and Treasury and convince Secretary Mnuchin to step back and change the policy.