SSDI recipients automatically received the 2020 stimulus checks without having to take any action

If you were receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) in 2020, you got the stimulus payments without filing a tax return or submitting a separate form. The IRS and Social Security coordinated to send the money directly to the bank account or mailing address on file with Social Security. Most SSDI recipients received their first payment in April 2020, and subsequent payments followed the same automatic process.

There were actually three separate stimulus payments issued in 2020 and early 2021. The first came in spring 2020, the second in late 2020, and the third in early 2021. Each one went out to SSDI beneficiaries using the same method—no new process or verification was needed each time.

Key Takeaways

  • SSDI recipients did not need to file taxes or submit any forms to receive the 2020 stimulus payments; Social Security automatically sent them based on existing records.
  • Payments were deposited into the bank account registered with Social Security, or mailed as a check if no account was on file.
  • The three stimulus payments came in April 2020, December 2020, and March 2021, with amounts varying based on income and dependent status.
  • If you did not receive a payment you believed you were owed, the IRS provided a tool to check payment status and claim missing amounts on a tax return.

How the payments were sent to SSDI recipients

Social Security maintained a list of all active SSDI beneficiaries and shared relevant information with the IRS. The IRS used this data to generate and send stimulus payments without requiring SSDI recipients to take any steps. If you had a direct deposit account set up with Social Security, the payment went there. If not, the IRS mailed a paper check to your address on file.

This automatic process meant that SSDI recipients did not have to worry about missing important date or filling out forms. Unlike some other groups who had to file a tax return or complete a special form to receive their payment, SSDI beneficiaries were included in the initial wave of payments straightforward by virtue of being on the SSDI rolls.

The three 2020 and 2021 stimulus payments and their amounts

The first stimulus payment, authorized under the CARES Act in March 2020, sent $1,200 to most adults and $500 per child dependent. SSDI recipients received this amount based on their 2019 income and tax filing status, even if they had not filed a 2019 tax return.

The second stimulus payment, passed in December 2020, sent $600 per adult and $600 per dependent child. This payment used 2019 tax information as well, since 2020 tax returns were not yet filed when the payment was issued.

The third stimulus payment, authorized in March 2021, sent $1,400 per adult and $1,400 per dependent child. By this time, some 2020 tax returns had been filed, so the IRS used the most recent information available—either 2020 or 2019 tax data—to determine payment amounts.

What happened if you did not receive a payment

Some SSDI recipients did not receive one or more of the stimulus payments for various reasons. A payment might have been sent to an old address, deposited into a closed bank account, or lost in the mail. In these cases, the IRS provided a tool called the "Get My Payment" portal where you could check the status of each payment and see whether it had been sent and where.

If the portal showed that a payment was sent but you never received it, you could claim the missing amount on your tax return for that year. You would file a return and claim the Recovery Rebate Credit for any stimulus money you did not get. This process required filing a tax return, which many SSDI recipients do not normally do, but it was the way to recover missing payments.

SSDI and tax filing status

Most SSDI recipients do not file federal income tax returns because their SSDI income is not taxable. However, the IRS still needed to know about SSDI recipients to send them stimulus payments. Social Security provided the IRS with the names, addresses, and bank account information of SSDI beneficiaries so the payments could be issued automatically.

If you received SSDI and also had other income—such as wages from part-time work—you might have filed a tax return. In that case, the IRS used your most recent tax return to determine your stimulus payment amount. If you did not file a return, Social Security's records were used instead.

Dependents and stimulus payment amounts

The stimulus payments included money for dependent children. If you claimed a child as a dependent on a tax return, that child counted toward your payment amount. For SSDI recipients who did not file tax returns, Social Security's records were checked to see if a dependent was listed there.

In some cases, SSDI recipients had dependent children who were not claimed on a tax return or listed with Social Security. These families might not have received the full payment amount they were owed. If this happened to you, the Recovery Rebate Credit on a tax return could be used to claim the missing dependent amounts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did I have to do anything to get the 2020 stimulus payments as an SSDI recipient?

No. The IRS and Social Security worked together to send payments automatically to all SSDI beneficiaries. You did not need to file a tax return, submit a form, or contact anyone. The payment was sent based on your existing SSDI records.

What if I was on SSDI but also worked and filed taxes?

You still received the stimulus payment automatically. The IRS used your most recent tax return to calculate the amount. You did not need to take any additional steps beyond what SSDI recipients who did not file taxes had to do.

Can I still claim a stimulus payment I never received?

Yes. If you did not receive one of the three payments, you can claim it as a Recovery Rebate Credit on a federal tax return. You would file a return for the year the payment was issued and claim the credit for the amount you did not get. The IRS's "Get My Payment" tool can tell you whether a payment was sent.

What if my bank account information changed after I applied for SSDI?

If you updated your bank account with Social Security before the stimulus payment was issued, the new account would have been used. If you changed your account after the payment was sent, it may have gone to the old account. Check the "Get My Payment" portal to see where it was sent, and contact that bank if needed.

Did the stimulus payments affect my SSDI benefits?

No. The stimulus payments were not counted as income for SSDI purposes. Receiving a stimulus check did not reduce your monthly SSDI payment or affect your benefits in any way.