INSIGHTi
COVID-19: Selected Financial and Social
Service Resources for Older Americans
Updated May 17, 2021
This Insight links to selected resources for older constituents who have been financially affected by the
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
Social Security
During the pandemic, the Social Security Administration (SSA) continues to pay benefits. Although
Social Security offices are closed for walk-in service, many services are available online. Additional
guidance appears on SSA’s Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) webpage and SSA’s blog.
Other resources include
SSA (Workers): Your Options: Working, Applying for Retirement, or Both?;
SSA (Workers): Benefits Planner, Retirement;
CRS Report R44948, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental
Security Income (SSI): Eligibility, Benefits, and Financing; and
CRS Report R44670, The Social Security Retirement Age.
Retirement Income
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (P.L. 116-136) allowed for penalty-
free coronavirus-related distributions (CRDs) from certain retirement accounts in 2020 and suspended
required minimum distributions for 2020, among other provisions. The deadline to take a CRD was
December 30, 2020; however, individuals with employer-sponsored plans may be able to take a hardship
distribution or loan (if the plan permits).
Participants in the federal Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) can find revisions to plan operations at the TSP’s
COVID-19: Latest Information. Information is also available from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) at
Coronavirus-related relief for retirement plans and IRAs questions and answers.
Other resources include
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Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration: Response to COVID;
TSP: Changes to Required Minimum Distribution (for 2020);
TSP: COVID-19 Withdrawals and Repayments;
CRS In Focus IF11482, Retirement and Pension Provisions in the Coronavirus Aid,
Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act);
CRS Insight IN11349, The CARES Act and Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs):
Options for Certain Individuals;
CRS Insight IN11441, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Guidance for Coronavirus-Related
Distributions, Plan Loans, and Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) Rollovers; and
CRS In Focus IF11369, Early Withdrawals from Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs)
and 401(k) Plans.
Unemployment Compensation
Older Americans may face job loss due to COVID-19. To cushion lost wages, older workers may be
eligible for Unemployment Compensation (UC), a joint federal-state program. Additionally, unemployed
workers, including self-employed or contract workers, may be eligible for expanded temporary UC
benefits authorized by the CARES Act. To receive benefits, individuals apply through the UC office in the
state where they worked.
UC benefits may be affected by other sources of income. According to CRS Report R46617, Potential
Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Income Security of Older Americans
Federal law requires that states reduce an individual’s weekly UC benefit “by the amount, allocated
weekly, of any governmental or other pension, retirement or retired pay, annuity, or any other similar
periodic payment which is based on the previous work of such individual.” States may reduce UC
benefits on less than a full offset basis by considering any employee contributions to the retirement
plan. But states may not reduce UC benefits based on any rollover distributions from pension
plans. In addition, states may reduce the UC benefits of workers receiving Social Security or SSDI
payments.
For more information, see
DOL: Guidance, UI Relief During COVID-19;
SSA: FAQ, Will unemployment benefits affect my Social Security benefits?;
CRS Report R46687, Current Status of Unemployment Insurance (UI) Benefits:
Permanent-Law Programs and COVID-19 Pandemic Response;
CRS In Focus IF11786, Unemployment Insurance Provisions in the American Rescue
Plan Act of 2021; and
CRS Report R46789, Unemployment Insurance: Legislative Issues in the 117th Congress.
Home and Community-Based Services
Administration for Community Living (ACL) administers grants to states to support a range of home and
community-based services for individuals aged 60+. These include supportive services (such as personal
care, chore services, and rides to medical appointments), home-delivered nutrition (sometimes known as
“Meals on Wheels”), and family caregiver support. The Older Americans Act (OAA) authorizes these
grant programs. OAA programs received additional funding in response to COVID-19; see CRS Report
R43414, Older Americans Act: Overview and Funding.
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Constituents interested in OAA services may contact their local Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs), which
oversee the delivery of most OAA services and other home and community-based services to older adults.
Constituents can find AAAs through the Eldercare Locator (1-800-677-1116), an information and referral
service that connects older adults and caregivers with local resources and services. For more resources to
connect constituents to health services, see CRS In Focus IF11694, Connecting Older Adults and
Individuals with Disabilities to Health Services: Resources for Constituents.
ACL also funds resource centers that assist with benefits and financial issues.
Benefits Check-Up (1-800-794-6559) helps older adults identify benefits for which they
may be eligible.
Benefits Enrollment Centers help Medicare beneficiaries identify and apply for other
programs for which they may be eligible, including Medicaid.
National Pension Assistance Resource Center helps with pension-related questions and
problems.
National Resource Center on Women and Retirement produces fact sheets on retirement
planning and other financial topics.
Aging and Disability Resource Centers provide personalized assistance with planning for
and accessing long-term services and supports.
Economic Impact Payments
Older Americans may benefit from direct payments authorized by the American Rescue Plan (ARPA) Act
of 2021 (P.L. 117-2), the CARES Act (P.L. 116-136), and the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (P.L.
116-220). These payments, referred to as economic impact payments by the IRS or “stimulus payments”
in some media reports, are described in CRS Insight IN11605, COVID-19 and Direct Payments:
Comparison of First and Second Round of “Stimulus Checks” to the Third Round in the American Rescue
Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA; P.L. 117-2) and IRS’s “Recovery Rebate Credits and Economic Impact
Payments.”
Frauds and Scams
Several federal agencies have provided guidance relevant for older Americans who may be
targeted by scams. SSA has compiled information on how to “Be Aware of Fraud and Scams”
(see menu). Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s “Resources to help you avoid scams”
includes resources for older adults. DOL provides guidance at “Report Unemployment Identity
Theft.” Additionally, see “Frauds and Scams” in CRS Insight IN11359, COVID-19: Financial
Relief and Assistance Resources for Consumers and “Reporting COVID-19 Scams” in CRS
Insight IN11640, Tabulating COVID-19-Related Fraud and Financial Loss.
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Author Information
Tamar B. Breslauer
Abigail R. Overbay
Senior Research Librarian
Senior Research Librarian
Angela Napili
Senior Research Librarian
Disclaimer
This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan shared staff
to congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and under the direction of
Congress. Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other than public understanding of
information that has been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in connection with CRS’s institutional role.
CRS Reports, as a work of the United States Government, are not subject to copyright protection in the United
States. Any CRS Report may be reproduced and distributed in its entirety without permission from CRS. However,
as a CRS Report may include copyrighted images or material from a third party, you may need to obtain the
permission of the copyright holder if you wish to copy or otherwise use copyrighted material.
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