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Coronavirus

Stimulus Checks: When do people from Puerto Rico get their money?

Puerto Rico is an unincorporated U.S. territory and since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic on the island, citizens claim they have not received any help according to the mayor.

Estados UnidosUpdate:
Stimulus Checks: When do people from Puerto Rico get their money?
RICARDO ARDUENGOAFP

Earlier this week the Democrats proposed a $3 trillion coronavirus relief bill including funding for state and local governments and more direct stimulus payments for Americans during the Covid-19 pandemic.

On Friday the House approved the $3 trillion Heroes Act that contains a second round of $1,200 stimulus checks for millions of Americans who are struggling because of the coronavirus pandemic in the United States.

This is the fourth stimulus relief package that was approved during the outbreak as many states are starting to slowly reopening the economy. As many Americans are now waiting for more help during the Covid-19 outbreak residents in Puerto Rico must wait until June to get their federal stimulus checks.

The mayor of San Juan, Puerto Rico Carmen Yulin Cruz said that the U.S. territory is facing a laundry list of difficulties in its coronavirus recovery efforts, “No one in Puerto Rico has received their $1200 coronavirus stimulus checks from the federal government. We’re having problems with a local $500 check that the governor said was going to be distributed,” she said.

As of 16 May Puerto Rico has a backlog of 130,000 applications for unemployment benefits that have gone unfulfilled and similar difficulties with requests for food stamps. By the time they get help, residents in Puerto Rico would be among the last Americans to receive payments.

"It is anticipated that beneficiaries in the territories could begin receiving their Economic Impact Payment in early June," the Social Security Administration said. The Treasury Department estimates that 87% of eligible Americans have gotten the payments.

According to the Social Security Administration, the delay to the residents in Puerto Rico is attributed to “special rules” for people who live in official U.S. territories, including American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands and U.S. Virgin Islands.

The rules require tax authorities in each territory to disburse the stimulus funds, called Economic Impact Payments, to Social Security recipients who reside there. The IRS is issuing the checks for Americans who live within the 50 states and Washington, D.C.