WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords today reminded her constituents in Southeastern Arizona of the upcoming October 15th deadline to file to receive a tax rebate check.

“The deadline is only one month away,” Giffords said. “I do not want my constituents to miss the opportunity to receive their economic stimulus checks.”

According to a recent report by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, Pima County is one of the top 50 counties – and Tucson one of the top 20 cities – in the country where eligible seniors and veterans have not filed to receive stimulus tax rebate checks. 

In Pima, Santa Cruz, and Cochise counties over 23,000 eligible seniors or veterans have not filed for economic stimulus payments worth a total of more than $6.5 million dollars.

“This money belongs in my constituents’ pockets,’ Giffords said. “I know from meeting with residents in communities across the district that there are many seniors and veterans who are having trouble making ends meet. This rebate check could help put food on the table or gas in the tank. But they must act quickly to receive the funds to which they are entitled.”

As of mid-summer, 76 million economic stimulus payments had been processed, injecting tens of billions of dollars into our nation’s struggling economy. In Arizona, 2.5 million people received tax rebates averaging $880. Many of these individuals were seniors or veterans who do not normally file income taxes, but did file this year knowing they would receive a tax rebate under the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008.

“We have accounted for about 75 percent of Social Security and Veterans beneficiaries,” Giffords said. “But there are still too many veterans and seniors who have a rebate check waiting for them in the federal treasury.”

The first – and only – step is to file a tax return form 1040A.  The IRS has prepared step-by-step instructions explaining how to fill out a 1040A for those whose only income is Social Security or Veterans’ benefits. Forms are available online at www.irs.gov, by calling the IRS’s Stimulus Payment Hotline at 1-866-234-2942, or at Giffords’ offices in Tucson and Sierra Vista.

Residents of Arizona’s 8th Congressional District may also call Giffords’ office in Tucson at (520) 881-3855 or Sierra Vista at (520) 459-3115 for assistance in applying for their rebate checks.