Almost 10,000 North Dakotans have failed to file for their federal stimulus payments, the Internal Revenue Service reported Monday.

Those who do not file by Oct. 15 will miss out on payments of up to $600 for individuals and $1,200 for married couples.

The payments, passed this spring to combat a sagging economy, are available to anybody who has a valid Social Security number, earned $3,000 or more in yearly income and filed a 2007 income tax return.

But it is this last requirement that has thrown some. Many are retirees and those who assume they don't qualify and typically don't have to file an income tax return for other purposes.

But many indeed may qualify because the IRS is considering Social Security payments and Veterans Affairs and Railroad Retirement payments as eligible income.

"So many people are still confused about whether they qualify," said Kenneth Krumm of Bismarck CPA firm Krumm and Associates.

Krumm said many of the non-filers he's encountered have either assumed they don't qualify or avoided filing because of back taxes or back child support owed.

He said he's advising those who are confused to "take three or four minutes" to place a phone call or use an online eligibility calculator such as the one at www.irs.gov/app/espc. Those who have tax liability may not get a payment, but at least the payment amount can chip away at their liability, Krumm said.

Adding confusion to the mix is the fact that the deadline to file taxes for the purposes of a stimulus payment is later than the regular tax deadline of April 15.

"It's certainly not too late, but the sooner you file, the sooner you'll get your stimulus payment in your hands," said IRS spokeswoman Carrie Resch.

In an effort to demonstrate exactly what's needed, the IRS is mailing out information packets to retirees and veterans who haven't filed.

The packets contain a blank 1040A form and an example form that demonstrates what needs to be filled in.

(Reach reporter Jonathan Rivoli at 250-8264 or jonathan.rivoli@;bismarcktribune.com.)