Q: I recently lived in Warwick. I moved [last] week to West Greenwich. I am wondering where my [rebate] money will come from the government. I assume it will be transferred by mail and delivered here ….

–– A.R., West Greenwich

A: Your rebate should be forwarded to your new address automatically, assuming that you’ve filed a change-of-address form with the U.S. Postal Service.

That’s the conclusion I’ve drawn after contacting both the Postal Service and Internal Revenue Service.

Here’s the situation: The U.S. Treasury is in the process of distributing rebates to help stimulate the nation’s economy.

Some people are having their rebates deposited directly into their bank or credit union accounts; others are receiving their rebates in the form of a paper check, by mail.

To process your rebate, the Treasury is using the name, address and other information on the federal income-tax return you filed (or will file) this year, covering 2007.

What if you’re expecting to receive your rebate by mail, but you’ve moved since you filed your return?

Unless the envelope is specifically labeled “Do Not Forward,” the Postal Service will forward it to your new address, said Postal Service spokeswoman Christine Dugas. (This assumes that you’ve filed the necessary change-of-address information with the Postal Service, she said.)

Are the rebate envelopes marked “Do Not Forward”? No, they’re not, said IRS spokeswoman Peggy Riley. At one time, the U.S. Treasury advised the Postal Service not to forward any federal checks. But that’s no longer the case, she said.

So the answer to your question seems clear: If you file a change-of-address form with the Postal Service, your rebate check should be forwarded to your new address.

Change-of-address information is available at your local post office, and on the Postal Service’s Web site:

www.usps.com

Riley recommends that you also complete and file a Form 8822, “Change of Address,” with the IRS. To obtain a copy of Form 8822, visit your local IRS office, call the IRS toll-free at 1-800-829-3676 to have a copy mailed to you at no charge, or download a copy from this IRS Web site:

www.irs.gov/formspubs

Q: I filed my income tax for last year but I only received a state check, not federal. Does that qualify me for the stimulus check?

— D.J., Southfield, Michigan

A: To obtain a federal rebate — what the IRS calls an “economic stimulus payment” — you must file a federal income-tax return.

That’s true even if you don’t normally file a federal return because your income falls below a certain level.

Simply filing a state return doesn’t qualify you for a federal rebate.

Q: My husband and I filed jointly and my stimulus [was] to be sent out June 11. My last numbers of my Social Security number are 55, and I have not received it. My husband’s last two numbers are 92, [and his rebate is to be] sent out July 11. Do I wait for my check under my husband’s? Do they both come under one check in one full amount?

— A.B., Cranston

A: A married couple filing a joint return receives one lump-sum rebate amount. The rebate is issued based on the last two digits of the Social Security number for the first person listed on the return.

So, assuming that you’re married, filed a joint return, and your husband’s Social Security number was listed first on the return, you’ll receive your rebate check next month.

(By the way, a married couple generally receives a rebate amount that’s double the amount that a single person would receive. For example, a single person is generally eligible for a minimum rebate of $300; a married couple filing a joint return is generally eligible for a minimum rebate of $600).

TODAY’S TIP: The July issue of Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine features little-known strategies for boosting the amount of the monthly benefit you’ll receive from Social Security.

The magazine is available on newsstands and also online:

www.kiplinger.com

Questions about your money matters? Call us at 1-401-277-7484 and leave a message, or e-mail:

moneyline@projo.com

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