SSDI recipients in California did receive stimulus payments, but the rules changed depending on which payment and when

If you received Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) in California, you were sent stimulus money during the pandemic — but not all SSDI recipients got the same amount, and not all got it at the same time. California issued its own state stimulus payments separate from the federal checks, and the two programs had different rules about who received money and how much.

The key difference: federal stimulus payments went to most SSDI recipients automatically if they filed taxes or received benefits, while California's state payments required you to take an extra step — filing a claim form or meeting specific income limits — even if you already got the federal money.

Key Takeaways

  • Federal stimulus payments (2020, 2021, 2022) went to most SSDI recipients automatically without requiring an process.
  • California's state stimulus payments had different income limits and required you to file a claim form or meet additional requirements depending on the year.
  • Some SSDI recipients received both federal and state payments; others received only federal, depending on their income and filing status.
  • If you did not receive a payment you thought you were owed, you can still file a claim for some California payments through the Franchise Tax Board.

Federal stimulus payments and SSDI recipients

The federal government sent three rounds of stimulus checks between March 2020 and March 2021. SSDI recipients were included in all three payments if they met basic requirements: they had to have a Social Security number, be a U.S. citizen or resident alien, and not be claimed as a dependent on someone else's tax return.

The payments were $1,200 (first round, 2020), $600 (second round, December 2020), and $1,400 (third round, March 2021). The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) sent these automatically to people who filed taxes or received Social Security benefits — SSDI recipients did not need to do anything extra to receive them. If you received SSDI, your payment was typically deposited to the same bank account where your monthly benefit was sent.

A third federal payment was issued in 2022 for certain lower-income households, but SSDI recipients were not automatically included in that round. You would have needed to file a 2021 tax return to receive it.

California state stimulus payments and income limits

California issued its own stimulus payments separate from federal money. The state's rules were stricter: most California payments had income limits, meaning you could earn too much to receive the money even if you got the federal stimulus.

California's first state stimulus (2020) went to people earning under $75,000 per year. SSDI recipients whose only income was their monthly benefit typically fell well below that threshold and received $600. A second state payment in 2021 had a $75,000 income limit and paid $600 to most people who met it.

In 2022, California issued a larger payment called the Middle Class Tax Refund. This one had a higher income limit ($250,000 for single filers) but required you to have filed a 2020 tax return. Many SSDI recipients did not file taxes because their income was too low, so they did not receive this payment automatically. Some were able to file a claim form through the Franchise Tax Board to receive it anyway.

How to check if you received all payments owed to you

If you are unsure whether you received all the stimulus money you were owed, start by checking your bank or payment records. Federal payments show up as deposits from the U.S. Treasury or IRS. California state payments typically show up as deposits from the State of California or Franchise Tax Board.

For federal payments you may have missed, the IRS has a tool called "Get My Payment" on its website (irs.gov) where you can enter your information and see the status of each round. If a payment was sent but you never received it, the IRS can help you trace it.

For California state payments, contact the Franchise Tax Board directly. You can call 1-800-338-0505 or visit ftb.ca.gov. Have your Social Security number and the year of the payment ready. The Franchise Tax Board can tell you whether a payment was issued to you and, if not, whether you can still file a claim.

What to do if you did not receive a payment

If you did not receive a federal stimulus payment, you may be able to claim it on your tax return. When you file your taxes, you can report the missing payment as a Recovery Rebate Credit. This tells the IRS you did not receive the money and should get it as a refund or credit against taxes owed.

For California state payments, the important date to file a claim depends on which payment. Some important date have passed, but others remain open. The Franchise Tax Board website lists which payments are still available to claim. If you call them, they can tell you when ready whether you can still file for a specific year's payment.

SSDI and income limits: why some recipients were excluded

Some SSDI recipients did not receive certain California state payments because their total income — including SSDI, any wages, and other benefits — exceeded the state's limit. This is different from federal stimulus, which had no income limit for SSDI recipients.

For example, if you received SSDI plus part-time wages that brought your total income above $75,000, you would not have received California's 2020 or 2021 state stimulus payments, even though you got the federal payments. The Middle Class Tax Refund in 2022 had a higher income limit ($250,000), so more people may have access to, but it still excluded some recipients.

If you think you were excluded by mistake, the Franchise Tax Board can review your income for that year. Bring documentation of your SSDI payments and any other income you received.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did I have to pay taxes on stimulus money I received?

No. Federal stimulus payments are not taxable income, and neither are California state stimulus payments. You do not report them on your tax return, and they do not reduce your SSDI benefits.

Can stimulus payments affect my SSDI benefits in the future?

No. Stimulus payments do not count as income for the purpose of calculating SSDI benefits. They do not reduce your monthly payment or affect your may be able to access to continue receiving SSDI.

What if I received a stimulus payment but I was not supposed to?

Contact the IRS (for federal payments) or the Franchise Tax Board (for California payments) to report the error. In most cases, you will not be required to return money that was sent to you by mistake, but you should report it so your records are correct.

Can I still claim a stimulus payment I missed years ago?

For federal payments, yes — you can claim them on your tax return as a Recovery Rebate Credit for up to three years after the payment was issued. For California state payments, important date vary by year. Call the Franchise Tax Board at 1-800-338-0505 to learn about the payment you missed is still available to claim.