SSDI Recipients and the Second Stimulus Check

Yes, most SSDI recipients received the second stimulus check automatically. The second Economic Impact Payment, issued in December 2020 and January 2021, went to people on SSDI the same way the first one did—the IRS used tax return information and Social Security records to identify who may have access to, then deposited the money directly or mailed a check without requiring you to take any action.

The payment was $600 per adult and $600 per dependent child under 17. If you were receiving SSDI benefits in 2020, you almost certainly got this money. The main exceptions were people who had not filed a tax return in recent years and had no Social Security record on file, or people who were claimed as dependents on someone else's tax return.

This article covers what happened with the second stimulus and what to do if you believe you should have received it but did not.

Key Takeaways

  • The IRS sent the second stimulus check to SSDI recipients automatically using Social Security records; you did not have to file taxes or submit a form.
  • The second payment was $600 per adult and $600 per child under 17, issued between December 2020 and January 2021.
  • If you did not receive the payment, you could claim it on your 2020 tax return as the Recovery Rebate Credit, even if you normally do not file taxes.
  • The IRS has a tool called "Get My Payment" that showed the status of your second stimulus check and the method of delivery.

How the Second Stimulus Was Distributed to SSDI Recipients

The IRS did not send a separate process or form to SSDI recipients. Instead, the Social Security Administration provided the IRS with a list of people receiving SSDI, SSI, or Veterans benefits. The IRS then cross-checked that list against tax records to avoid sending duplicate payments to people who had already received a check through another route.

If you were on SSDI in 2020, the IRS assumed you met the income limits (which were high enough that most SSDI recipients may have access to) and sent the $600 payment. The money went to the same bank account or address where you normally received your SSDI payment. If you received SSDI by direct deposit, the stimulus went by direct deposit. If you received a paper check, the stimulus came as a paper check.

This automatic process meant SSDI recipients did not have to do anything—no form to fill out, no call to make, no visit to an office. The payment arrived on its own schedule between mid-December 2020 and early January 2021, though some recipients received it later depending on banking delays.

What to Do If You Did Not Receive the Second Stimulus

If you believe you should have received the second stimulus but did not, the first step was to check the status using the IRS "Get My Payment" tool on the IRS website. That tool showed whether the payment had been sent, the method (direct deposit or check), and the date. If the tool said the payment was sent by check but you never received it, you could file a claim with the IRS.

The main way to recover a missing second stimulus payment was to claim it on your 2020 tax return as the Recovery Rebate Credit. You did this by filing Form 1040 or 1040-SR and including Schedule 3 (Other Credits). The IRS would then send you the $600 (or $600 per dependent) as a refund or credit against taxes owed. You could claim this credit even if you did not normally file taxes—if your only income was SSDI, you could still file a return just to claim the credit.

If you did not file a 2020 tax return and did not claim the credit, you could no longer recover that payment. The important date to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit on a 2020 return was April 15, 2021, and that important date has passed. However, if you filed a 2020 return without claiming the credit, you could file an amended return (Form 1040-X) to add it, though the IRS processes amended returns slowly.

Why Some SSDI Recipients Did Not Receive the Payment

A small number of SSDI recipients did not receive the second stimulus automatically. The most common reason was that the person had no recent tax return on file and was not in the Social Security system in a way the IRS could match. This sometimes happened to people who had been on SSDI for many years and had never filed taxes because their income was below the filing threshold.

Another reason was if you were claimed as a dependent on someone else's tax return—for example, if an adult child with SSDI was claimed as a dependent by a parent. In that case, the parent received $600 for the dependent rather than the dependent receiving their own $600 payment. This was the same rule as for the first stimulus.

A third reason, less common, was if the IRS had flagged your account for fraud or identity theft. In those cases, the payment was held while the IRS investigated, and you had to resolve the issue before receiving it.

The Difference Between the First and Second Stimulus Checks

The second stimulus worked much the same way as the first, but there were small differences. The first stimulus, issued in April and May 2020, was $1,200 per adult and $500 per child. The second stimulus was $600 per adult and $600 per child. Both went to SSDI recipients automatically using the same Social Security records.

One difference was that the second stimulus included a new group: people receiving Veterans benefits. The first stimulus had not automatically included all Veterans, but the second one did. For SSDI recipients, the process was identical both times.

The income limits for the second stimulus were also slightly different—they phased out at higher income levels than the first stimulus—but this did not affect most SSDI recipients, since SSDI income is typically low enough to may have access to either way.

What Happened to the Third Stimulus Check

A third stimulus payment was issued in March 2021. This one was $1,400 per adult and $1,400 per child. SSDI recipients received it the same way: automatically, using Social Security records, with no form to fill out. The same rules applied—if you did not receive it, you could claim it as the Recovery Rebate Credit on your 2021 tax return.

The third stimulus also had the same income limits and the same process for SSDI recipients. If you received SSDI and did not receive any of the three stimulus payments, the Recovery Rebate Credit on your tax return was your only way to claim the money, and that important date has now passed for all three payments.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to pay back the stimulus check if I receive SSDI?

No. The stimulus payments were not loans. You do not have to repay them, and they do not count as income for SSDI purposes. The Social Security Administration confirmed that stimulus payments do not affect your SSDI benefit amount or your may be able to access.

If I missed the important date to claim the stimulus on my taxes, can I still get the money?

The important date to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit for the second stimulus was April 15, 2021, and that important date has passed. You cannot claim it now. If you did not receive the payment and did not claim it by the important date, that money is no longer available to you.

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

Contact the IRS directly at 1-800-829-1040 to report an incorrect payment amount. Have your Social Security number and the payment details ready. The IRS can investigate and issue a corrected payment if there was an error.

Did the stimulus check count against my SSI resource limit?

The stimulus payments were excluded from SSI resource limits for a limited time. If you received SSI (Supplemental Security Income, which is different from SSDI), the stimulus did not count toward your $2,000 resource limit for the first nine months after you received it. After that period, it counted like any other resource. Check with your local SSI office if you are unsure how this affected your case.