SSDI Recipients Received the Third Stimulus Check Automatically

If you were receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) in 2021, you received the third stimulus payment without having to take any action. The payment was $1,400 per person and was deposited directly to the same account where you receive your monthly SSDI benefit, or mailed as a check if you don't have direct deposit set up.

The third stimulus was authorized by the American Rescue Plan Act in March 2021. The IRS and Social Security coordinated to send payments to SSDI beneficiaries based on their 2020 tax return or their Social Security record — whichever was on file. Because SSDI recipients are already in the Social Security system, they did not need to register, claim the payment, or file a tax return to receive it.

If you did not receive a third stimulus payment and believe you should have, the issue is usually a mismatch in the IRS records or a change in your address. This section explains what happened and what to do if your payment did not arrive.

Key Takeaways

  • The third stimulus payment of $1,400 was sent automatically to SSDI recipients in 2021 using Social Security records, with no action required on your part.
  • Payments were deposited to the account on file with Social Security or mailed as a physical check if direct deposit was not set up.
  • If you did not receive the payment, check your bank records first, then contact the IRS using the Get My Payment tool or by phone.
  • You can report a missing stimulus payment on your 2021 tax return using the Recovery Rebate Credit, even if you do not normally file taxes.

How the Third Stimulus Was Sent to SSDI Recipients

Social Security automatically identified SSDI beneficiaries and sent the IRS the information needed to process payments. The IRS did not send a separate notice or ask you to confirm your address — they used the address on file with Social Security. If you had moved and updated your address with Social Security, the payment went to the correct location. If your address was outdated, the check may have been mailed to an old address or returned to the IRS.

Most SSDI recipients have direct deposit set up because monthly benefits are paid that way. If you did, the $1,400 was deposited within days of the authorization. If you did not have direct deposit, the IRS mailed a paper check, which took longer — typically two to three weeks from the time it was issued.

The payment was not taxable income and did not reduce your SSDI benefit amount. It did not count toward the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) resource limit if you receive SSI instead of SSDI, though SSI rules for one-time payments were more complex — those payments were excluded from resources for nine months.

If You Did Not Receive Your Third Stimulus Payment

Start by checking your bank or credit union statement for the deposit. Search for transactions from March through June 2021, since that is when most payments were sent. If you received a paper check, look through your mail from that period or contact your bank to ask if a check was deposited under a different name or account.

If you still cannot find the payment, use the IRS Get My Payment tool at irs.gov. You will need your Social Security number, date of birth, and street address. The tool shows the payment status, the date it was sent, and the method (direct deposit or check). If it shows the payment was mailed to an address you no longer use, that is likely where the check went.

If the tool shows the payment was sent but you never received it, contact the IRS at 1-800-829-1040. Have your Social Security number and the address where the check was mailed ready. The IRS can issue a replacement check or investigate whether the original was cashed. This process takes several weeks.

Claiming the Third Stimulus on Your 2021 Tax Return

If the IRS confirms you did not receive the payment, or if you are still waiting after several months, you can claim it on your 2021 tax return using the Recovery Rebate Credit. This credit allows you to report the missing payment and receive it when you file your return or as a refund.

You do not have to file a tax return to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit if you do not normally file one. However, you must file a 2021 return to claim the credit. Use Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR (for people 65 and older) and complete Schedule 3 to report the credit. The IRS provides free tax preparation services through VITA (Volunteer Income Tax information) if you cannot afford to pay a tax preparer.

When you file, report the $1,400 as a Recovery Rebate Credit. The IRS will compare it to their records and send you the difference if you did not receive the full amount. If you received the payment after filing, you may need to amend your return, though the IRS usually catches this and adjusts automatically.

What Happened If Your Address Changed

If you moved between the time the IRS sent the stimulus and when you filed your 2021 tax return, your records with the IRS and Social Security may not match. The check may have been mailed to your old address and returned to the IRS as undeliverable. The IRS then held the payment until you filed a return with your current address.

When you file your 2021 return with your new address, the IRS matches it to the returned check and sends the payment to you. This can take several weeks after you file. If you moved and have not filed a 2021 return yet, filing now will trigger the payment to be sent to your current address.

If you moved and want to speed up the process, update your address with Social Security first by visiting your local Social Security office or calling 1-800-772-1213. Then file your 2021 tax return. The two agencies will coordinate and send the payment to your current address.

Third Stimulus and SSI Recipients

If you receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) instead of SSDI, you also received the $1,400 third stimulus payment automatically. However, SSI has strict rules about resources — money in the bank counts toward your limit, which is $2,000 for an individual. The stimulus payment was treated as a one-time payment and excluded from your resources for nine months after you received it.

This means the $1,400 did not count against your resource limit for nine months. After nine months, if you still had the money in your account, it would count toward your limit. If your resources exceeded $2,000, your SSI payment would be reduced or stopped until you spent the money down.

If you received SSI and the stimulus payment caused your resources to exceed the limit after the nine-month exclusion period, contact your local SSI office to discuss how to manage the money. You may be able to spend it on approved expenses or set it aside in a plan to achieve self-support (PASS).

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get the third stimulus payment now if I missed it in 2021?

Yes. File your 2021 tax return and claim the Recovery Rebate Credit for $1,400. The IRS will send you the payment as a refund or credit against taxes owed. You do not have to file a return normally to claim this credit — you can file just to get the payment.

What if I received the third stimulus but it was the wrong amount?

Contact the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 with your Social Security number. The IRS can review your 2020 tax return or Social Security record to confirm the correct amount. If you were underpaid, they will issue a replacement check. If you were overpaid, the IRS will not ask you to return it.

Does the third stimulus count as income for SSDI or SSI?

No. The stimulus payment is not counted as income for SSDI purposes and does not affect your benefit amount. For SSI, it is excluded from resources for nine months, then counts toward your resource limit if you keep it in the bank.

I never got a check in the mail — where did it go?

Use the IRS Get My Payment tool to see the address where it was mailed. If it was sent to an old address, contact the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 to request a replacement. You can also claim it on your 2021 tax return using the Recovery Rebate Credit.

What if my stimulus check was lost or stolen?

Report it to the IRS at 1-800-829-1040. If the check was cashed by someone else, the IRS can investigate and issue a replacement. If it was never cashed, the IRS will reissue it to your current address or you can claim it on your 2021 tax return.