Unemployed senior citizens still waiting for federal stimulus checks

Government notice says payment 'arrived' on May 22

Jeffrey and Josette Yorinks said when they received a letter from Washington, D.C. in May that read “Your economic impact payment has arrived” they were convinced a financial lifeline via the Cares Act was just days away.

It never happened.

Days turned into weeks, then months, and now as Capitol Hill hashes out a possible second round of stimulus checks, the unemployed senior citizens are still waiting for the first check to arrive.

“We’re both on social security, we’re both still unemployed, we need it,” the frustrated mother of two told News 6, “We run for the mail every day waiting for the mail truck to see if maybe today we have a check.”

The Yorinks; 73 and 66 respectively, were still in the workforce this year when their positions became casualties of the COVID-19 economic retreat.

Mrs. Yorinks was a sales representative with a merchandise company in Sanford for 13 years.

She said she was laid off on March 20 and has been unable to find new employment.

“You can imagine it is very stressful,” she said, “It wears on us emotionally, wears on us physically, it’s not the same not having a place to go.”

Jeffrey Yorinks told News 6 he lost his job as a marketing researcher a few weeks before the Pandemic started so now the financial plan for their golden years has been upended.

“It’s still a struggle because we both had not anticipated not working,” he said, “Our kids are grown and on their own and we just thought we’re not going to sit at home all day, well this is where we are.”

The Yorinks said they were able to collect state unemployment benefits, but like so many others the time between filing and the first benefits check was delayed five weeks.

Still, the delay for their economic stimulus check presents an entirely different issue.

In an email to News 6, Jeffrey Yorinks explained his long paper chase to find and collect the missing money.

“I have called the IRS many times and spent about 19 hours on hold only to listen to recordings that went nowhere.” he wrote, “I finally spoke with a woman who told me to fill out IRS form 3911 and send it to the IRS in Austin, Texas. I sent it on July 2 and have heard nothing back. All my calls to Texas went to recordings, never a live person.”

Greg McBride, Chief Financial Analyst with Bankrate.com said cases of missing stimulus and unemployment benefits are creating an economic void across the country.

The delay in getting money into people’s hands has had a definite impact.

“Not only on their financial well-being, but overall economically for their ability to go out and spend,” McBride said.

“It’s hard, it’s very hard‚” Josette Yorinks told News 6 " When we heard about the second stimulus check coming I said to my husband how long do you think we’re going to have to wait for this one?”

According to the IRS website:

If you filed your 2018 or 2019 tax return, you can check to Get My Payment for the status of your Economic Impact Payment. If you filed your 2019 tax return and it has not been processed yet, you may receive “Payment Status Not Available.”

If you used the Non-Filer tool, you can check Get My Payment for the status of your Economic Impact Payment within two weeks. If you are required to file a 2019 tax return and you used the Non-Filer tool, this can cause a delay in processing your return and a delay with your Economic Impact Payment.

If you are an SSA-1099, RRB-1099, SSI or VA benefit recipient and did not file a return or use the Non-Filer tool, you can check Get My Payment for the status of your Economic Impact Payment now.

News 6 has contacted the IRS and the Yorinks’ Washington representatives to assist the couple in tracking the missing checks.

If you have an unemployment issue email us at makeendsmeet@wkmg.com


About the Author:

News 6’s Emmy Award-winning Investigative Reporter Mike Holfeld has made Central Florida history with major investigations that have led to new policies, legislative proposals and even -- state and national laws. If you have an issue or story idea, call Mike's office at 407-521-1322.

Recommended Videos