By Amanda Hickey

Apr. 29, 2008 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) --
An extra $600.

That's what millions of American taxpayers can expect to receive from the Internal Revenue Service in the form of economic stimulus payments.

Those eligible for the payment will receive $600 ($1,200 for married couples), plus an additional $300 for each eligible child under 17, according to the IRS.

In order to be eligible, a person must have a valid Social Security number, cannot be claimed as a dependent on a tax return and have either an income tax liability or qualifying income of at least $3,000.

Recipients of Social Security, Railroad Retirement or veteran's benefits, as well as taxpayers who do not make enough money to normally have to file a tax return, are eligible to receive $300 ($600 on a joint return) if they had at least $3,000 of qualifying income, according to the IRS.

While they do have to file a return this year to be eligible, retirees, disabled veterans and others who typically do not file a tax return still have until Oct. 15 to file, according to a press release from the IRS.

"Do not worry if you did not file a return by April 15. If you meet the criteria, you are still eligible for a stimulus payment. The quicker you file, the quicker you'll get your payment," IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman said in the release.

The money is not taxable.

The money, for those who opted for direct deposit for their 2007 income tax returns, began showing up in some people's checking accounts on Monday. People with 00-20 as the last two digits of their Social Security Number will receive their deposit by Friday, people with 21-75 as the last two digits will receive theirs by May 9 and people with 76-99 will receive theirs by May 16, according to the IRS Web site.

Those expecting paper checks will have to wait longer.

People with 00 through 09 as the last two digits of their Social Security Number can expect their check to be mailed May 16, while those with 10 through 18 as the last two digits will be mailed May 23, and those with 19 through 25 will be mailed May 30.

On June 6, all checks to people with 26 through 38 as the last two digits in their Social Security Number will be in the mail, and those with 39 through 51 will be mailed by June 13. By June 20, checks for those with 52 through 63 as the last two digits will be mailed, and by June 27 those with 64 through 75 as the last two digits will be mailed.

All checks for people with 76 through 87 as the last two digits of their Social Security Number will be mailed July 4, with the final shipment of checks going to people with 88 through 99 as the last two digits going out July 11, according to the site.

Newstex ID: KRTB-0100-24871851