Beginning next week, the Internal Revenue Service will mail special informational packages to more than 595,000 Michiganrecipients of Social Security or Veterans Affairs benefits to help them get their 2008 economic stimulus payment.

The 10-page mailing is specifically designed for people who may qualify for an economic stimulus payment but did not file a tax return last year.The package contains everything the recipients will need to file a 2007 tax form immediately including; an informational notice, tips for completing Form 1040A, a sample Form 1040A and an actual Form 1040A for the filer to complete.

“We want to put everything in one package, right at the fingertips of the people who need this the most,” said Luis D. Garcia, Spokesperson for the IRS in Michigan. “Many of the folks in this group haven’t needed to file a tax return for years. We hope that with these packages people will just need a pen and a stamp to get their money.”

Under the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008, people may be eligible for the minimum payment of $300 ($600 for married couples) even if they do not normally file a tax return. There also is an additional payment of $300 for people with eligible children younger than 17. People must file an income tax return in order to receive the payment.

To qualify for the minimum economic stimulus payment, people must have at least $3,000 in any combination of qualifying income from retirement, disability or survivors’ benefits from the Social Security Administration; disability compensation, disability pension or survivors’ benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs; Tier 1 benefits from Railroad Retirement, certain combat pay and earned income from wages, salaries, tips or net earnings from self-employment that are includible in taxable income.

A sample Form 1040A is included in the tax package and is available at IRS.gov. People need to complete the lines for the mailing label and provide a Social Security number; the filing status (single or married) and exemptions (children younger than 17 and their Social Security numbers). The mailing is separate from more than 130 million other economic stimulus letters being sent this month to taxpayers who filed tax returns in 2006.

People who don’t normally need to file also can use Free File – Economic Stimulus Payment, which is available at IRS.gov. Several Free File software providers are making their products available so eligible filers can file for free online directly with the IRS.

The IRS reminds taxpayers to be aware of scams. The IRS does not gather information for stimulus payments over the telephone, and it does not send unsolicited e-mail to taxpayers about tax account matters. If taxpayers receive an unsolicited e-mail from someone claiming to be from the IRS, DO NOT click on any links. People should forward it to phishing@irs.gov, and then delete it. The only official IRS Web site is located at www.irs.gov.

Taxpayers who normally file a tax return do not have to take any extra steps to receive their stimulus payment. They should simply file and wait, payments will be issued beginning in May. The maximum stimulus payment is for regular filers is $600 ($1,200 for married couples), amounts that will phase out starting with adjusted gross income of $75,000 ($150,000 for married couples).