The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which the president signed into law in February, provides for a one-time payment of $250 to people receiving Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits.

The one-time recovery payments will go out in May, and all payments should be received by the end of May. In April, Social Security will send a letter with additional information to each person eligible for the one-time payment. The payments will be sent automatically, meaning no action is required on the part of the person receiving benefits. They will be made separately from a person's regular monthly payments.

All adults who receive Social Security benefits, including disabled adult children (but not minor children) are eligible for the $250 payment. In addition, all persons who receive SSI payments, including minor children, are eligible for the payment. Anyone who receives benefits or who was eligible to receive benefits during any of the three months prior to enactment (November and December of 2008 and January 2009) will receive the one-time payment as long as the address of record is in one of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa or the Northern Mariana Islands.

The payments will be made in the same way that regular monthly payments are made. People with direct deposit will receive their payments electronically; those who receive paper checks will receive theirs in the mail.

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People who receive regular payments through the Direct Express debit card will receive their one-time payments through the card.

If someone receives both Social Security and SSI, only one payment of $250 will be made.

The economic recovery legislation also provides for a one-time payment to recipients of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) benefits. However, if you receive Social Security or SSI benefits and also receive VA and/or RRB benefits, you will receive only one $250 payment. The Social Security Administration will send you this payment.

To assist in processing the payments as efficiently as possible, you are asked not to contact Social Security unless you do not receive a payment by June 4. Information is available at www.socialsecurity.gov and will be updated on a regular basis.

To learn more about the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, visit www.recovery.gov.

Questions and Answers

Q.: I think I saw Patty Duke in an ad for Social Security. Was that really her?

A.: Yes. Patty Duke reprised her roles as cousins Patty and Cathy Lane from the hit 1960s sitcom "The Patty Duke Show" for a series of television, radio, print and Internet ads to promote retiring online. You can complete the new online application in as little as 15 minutes. And filing online means there's no need to drive to a local Social Security office or wait for an appointment with a Social Security representative. If you want to retire online, go to www.socialsecurity.gov and click on "Applying Online for Retirement Benefits." To see the video public service announcements featuring Patty Duke, visit www.socialsecurity.gov/pattyduke.

Q.: I'm aware the full retirement age is going up, but what is the earliest age that I can begin receiving retirement benefits?

A.: You can get a reduced benefit as early as age 62. The 1983 Social Security Amendments raised the full retirement age beginning with people born in 1938 or later from 65 to 67. But it did not change the minimum age for retirement. Visit www.socialsecurity.gov to learn more about Social Security and to find out your own full retirement age.

Anthony Renzoni is district manager of the Bridgeport office of the Social Security Administration. His column appears every Monday.