By Jacob Nakamura
(Tumon, Guam) Speaker Tina Muna Barnes believes residents who made income in 2018 or 2019 and have yet to file tax returns can avail of federal direct cash assistance if the governor implements a system being offered to tax filers throughout the rest of the country.
"As you may be aware, the IRS recently launched a new web platform to allow for non-filers to register in order to receive stimulus payments," Ms. Muna Barnes wrote in a letter to Department of Revenue and Taxation director Dafne Shimizu today. "The IRS set up this platform to assist individuals who do not need to file taxes as their income did not exceed $12,000 ($24,000 for married couples) in 2019."
The speaker is asking Ms. Shimizu to implement this policy on Guam so that qualified non-filers, especially those in the lowest income brackets, can avail of the cash assistance.
"While Guam will be using 2018 filings, there are still individuals who did not file their taxes due to a variety of reasons," Ms. Muna Barnes wrote. "While we mirror the Federal Tax Code, unlike other jurisdictions where stimulus payments will be directly paid by the IRS, local stimulus checks will be issued by your department. As such, I am humbly requesting that you look into this matter and also establish an efficient and effective mechanism to allow these individuals to apply -- to the extent possible as permissible by Federal Law."
