Local county recapturement

[Mibiznes]

Can your local county take your stimulus payment for debts from the county. Like, welfare overpayments? My state was taken and I don't want them to take this.

[Edsel]

Yore Business

To answer your question: I don't know.

My best guess is that if you owe your county money, if they go to the trouble to take your tax refund/stimulous payment, they can do this.

Tax refunds have become such a huge part of economic activity and planning for some individuals that they are considered a source of wealth, and thus draw interested onlookers similar to a paycheck. For some people, their paycheck and their tax refund are the only source of wealth that anyone else can get to.

In particular, althought the IRS won't let just anyone take your refund, they will let the politically correct sources take it such that the recipient gets nothing except a notice that his money has been wafted away on the four winds. To their way of thinking, arrearage to a state or local government is considered to be in their acceptable politically correct column, so whether it has been proven or not, if your county puts in a claim they can get your money, right or wrong.

[ED SMITH]

I believe that the state can only offset federal tax refunds when it is connection with child support payments.

"Federal Income Tax Refund Offset

Congress enacted the Federal Income Tax Refund Offset Program to recover delinquent child support debts. This remedy involves the interaction of all State IV-D agencies and three Federal agencies - OCSE, FMS, and IRS. "

Source: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/newhire/fop/fop.htm

[Lion]

Pay what you owe

If you pay what you owe now, then you won't have to worry in May whether you'll get your stimulus rebate. Why should the rest of us have to pay what you owe?