News
Economic Stimulus Payments; You Must File by October 15, 2008!
More than 130 million households will receive economic stimulus payments under the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008. All you must do is file a 2007 tax return by October 15, 2008. You do not need to call or complete any other special forms. Even those who normally don’t file must file to receive a stimulus payment.
The National Senior Citizens Law Center reports that large numbers of eligible seniors who do not normally file a tax return have thus far failed to file for this year’s special economic stimulus payments of $300 for an individual and $600 for a married couple. The deadline for filing is October 15, 2008.
There are several reasons why people may not have filed. Some may erroneously think they are not eligible. Yet all that is required is $3000 in gross income for 2007. This means that someone would qualify even if their only income is a $250 monthly Social Security benefit.
Still others may fear a negative impact on their SSI, Medicaid, Veterans or Food Stamp benefits. Yet these payments do not count as income for any of these programs and an individual has at least two months to spend the stimulus payment before it can be counted as a resource (Source: National Senior Citizens Law Center Washington Weekly Newsletter, Volume XXXIV, Issue 21-22, May 30, 2008).
For additional information visit: http://www.cbpp.org/stimuluspayment2008/outreach.htm
For a color poster visit: http://www.cbpp.org/stimuluspayment2008/docs/copy-english-color.pdf . Languages available include English, Spanish, Chinese, Italian, Vietnamese, Russian, Korean and Tagalog.
For more information, and to read some Q&As, visit the following links:
- Help Spread the Facts (pdf) - more info, who should file, resources for filing.
- Stimulus Payments FAQ on www.irs.gov.
- Stimulus Payments Web page on www.irs.gov.
(updated 06/12/2008)
CCOA announces 2008 Best Practices Award winners
The Commonwealth Council on Aging is pleased to announce the 2008 Best Practices Award winners for organizations serving older Virginians and their families. Over 30 nominations were received for the 2008 Awards program. Read more about the program and review the 2008 award winners on the Council page of our site. (5/28/2008)
Digital Television (DTV) Transition
On February 17, 2009, full power broadcast stations will stop broadcasting in analog format and will continue broadcasting in digital format only. This change, known as the DTV transition, was mandated by Congress and will provide many benefits to the public, including more spectrum for use by public safety (police, fire and emergency rescue workers). This transition will require many consumers with analog television sets who receive only free over-the-air television to take action in order to continue to receive a television signal.
Consumers with an analog television who are not connected to cable or satellite will need a converter box to continue to watch television after the transition. Every household is entitled to two $40 coupons to help purchase up to two converter boxes through a program administered by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). Coupons may be requested from www.dtv2009.gov or by calling 888-DTV-2009.
Broadcasters across Virginia are committed to educating senior citizens about the switch. The National Association of Broadcasters DTV Speakers Bureau has provided a document outlining their initiative. If you would like to have a local broadcaster in your community speak to a group about the DTV transition, please contact Dan Woodley at (202) 232-6648 or dwoodley@crosbyvolmer.com. To learn more about the DTV transition, please visit www.dtvanswers.com. (06/25/2008)
Discounts Available for Phone Service
The "Lifeline" and "Link-Up" programs provide discounts on basic telephone service to low-income consumers. “Lifeline” is related to monthly charges while “Link-Up” is related to the cost of initiating telephone service. The discounts are for the primary residential telephone, even if that’s a wireless phone. Discounts are available everywhere in the US and the amount of the discount depends on where you live. The basic federal Lifeline discount is as much as $10 per month, and all but a few states provide an additional discount over and above that. The basic federal Link-Up discount is half the cost of installation, up to $30. Additional discounts are provided for consumers on tribal lands. Consumers qualify for Lifeline and Link-Up by participating in one of a number of federal assistance programs or by having a household income of 135% or below the federal poverty guidelines. For more information, visit www.lifeline.gov. (03/12/2008)
Virginia Launches "Money Follows the Person" Website
Virginia is one of 31 states participating in a five-year, $1.75 billion Money Follows the Person (MFP) Demonstration project designed to create a system of long-term services and supports that assist individuals to transition from certain long-term care institutions into the community. This project supports Virginia’s Olmstead initiative and complements the efforts of the recently awarded Systems Transformation Grant that aims to improve the infrastructure for community-based long-term supports. Virginia’s MFP project, administered by the Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS), will make over $28 million in federal Medicaid funds available to support Virginia’s seniors and individuals with disabilities. For more details and the most current information on the MFP project, please visit http://www.olmsteadva.com/mfp. (02/22/2008)
Virginia Launches "Own Your Future" Campaign
Governor Kaine announced the launch of Virginia’s Own Your Future campaign in September, 2007. This campaign encourages Virginians to plan for their future long-term care needs and think about the resources and services they might need as they age. The Virginia Department for the Aging is hosting the Own Your Future web site, which we invite you to visit at www.vda.virginia.gov/oyf.
Dial 2-1-1 for Community Services
2-1-1 is an easy to remember phone number connecting Virginians with free information on available community services. When you dial 2-1-1, a trained professional will listen to your situation and suggest sources of help using one of the largest databases of health and human services in Virginia. During times of disaster, 2-1-1 will also act as an additional source of information for citizens. For more information about 2-1-1 go to www.211virginia.org.
Board, Council and Commission Meeting Announcements
All meetings shown below are open to the public, and will be held in the conference room at the Virginia Department for the Aging unless otherwise noted. View directions to VDA. (.pdf)
Virginia Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Commission
June 10, 2008,
September 9, 2008,
December 9, 2008.
Commonwealth Council on Aging
June 25, 2008,
September 24, 2008.
For more information, contact Bill Peterson at 804-662-9325 or via email.
Submission of News Items for VDA Web Page
If you have items of interest to Virginia's aging population, their families and caregivers, or to individuals who work or volunteer in the aging field, please submit them to VDA's Web Page Designer. Note: Submission of an item does not guarantee that it will be placed on the VDA web page.
Note: Links to web sites produced by organizations other than the Virginia Department for the Aging (VDA) are provided for your convenience. When you select one of these links, you will leave VDA's web site. VDA is not responsible for the content of linked web pages, and does not endorse products or services that may be offered on the linked pages. Also, the privacy policies of these sites may differ from the privacy policy followed by the Department for the Aging. Please report incorrect or outdated links to VDA's Web Designer.
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