SSDI and the Fourth Stimulus Check
There was no fourth stimulus check. The federal government issued three rounds of Economic Impact Payments during the pandemic: one in 2020, one in early 2021, and one in mid-2021. SSDI recipients who met the income requirements received all three payments automatically, without having to do anything.
If you received SSDI in 2020 or 2021 and did not receive one of the three checks, the issue was usually an income threshold or a mismatch between your tax records and Social Security records. The payments stopped after the third round, and no fourth payment was authorized by Congress.
Key Takeaways
- The federal government sent three stimulus checks total, not four — in 2020, early 2021, and mid-2021.
- Most SSDI recipients received all three payments automatically because their income fell below the threshold.
- If you did not receive a payment you thought you were owed, the IRS has a tool to check the status of all three checks.
- No additional stimulus payments have been authorized since 2021, and there is no fourth check to claim.
Who Received the Three Stimulus Checks
SSDI recipients with income below a certain threshold received all three payments. For the 2020 and 2021 checks, the income limit was $75,000 for single filers and $150,000 for married couples filing jointly. Most people on SSDI fell well below this threshold, so they received the full amount without having to take any action.
The payments were sent based on tax return information from 2019 or 2020, depending on which round. If you filed taxes and reported your SSDI income, the IRS had your address and bank account on file. If you did not file taxes, Social Security provided your information to the IRS so the payment could be mailed to you.
What to Do If You Did Not Receive a Check
If you believe you should have received one of the three stimulus checks but did not, the IRS has a tool called the Get My Payment portal that shows the status of all three payments. You can access it on the IRS website and enter your Social Security number, date of birth, and mailing address to see whether each check was sent, when it was sent, and how it was sent (direct deposit, check, or debit card).
If the portal shows a check was mailed but you never received it, you can file a claim with the IRS. If the portal shows no payment was sent, you may have been above the income threshold for that particular round, or there may have been a mismatch between your tax records and your actual income. In that case, you could claim the payment as a credit on your tax return for the year the payment was supposed to be sent.
Income Limits for Each Payment
The three stimulus payments had the same income thresholds, though the payment amounts varied. You received the full payment if your income was below $75,000 (single) or $150,000 (married filing jointly). The payments began to reduce if your income was above those amounts and phased out completely at higher income levels.
SSDI income alone almost never pushed someone above these thresholds. However, if you had other income — from work, investments, or a spouse's income — that combined total might have reduced or eliminated your payment. The IRS determined your income based on your most recent tax return, so if your tax return did not reflect your actual SSDI income, there could have been a discrepancy.
Why There Was No Fourth Check
Congress did not authorize a fourth stimulus payment after the third round in 2021. The three payments were part of emergency pandemic relief legislation, and lawmakers did not pass additional stimulus measures after mid-2021. Some people and advocacy groups called for a fourth payment, but no bill to fund it passed both chambers of Congress.
If you see advertisements or websites claiming you can claim a fourth stimulus check, they are not accurate. No legitimate government program is distributing a fourth payment, and you should not pay anyone to help you claim one.
How to Verify Your Payment History
The IRS Get My Payment tool is the official way to check the status of your three stimulus payments. You do not need to create an account or log in with a password — you only need your Social Security number, date of birth, and mailing address. The tool will show you the date each payment was sent and the method (direct deposit, mailed check, or debit card).
If you lost a mailed check or never received a debit card, the tool will tell you that. You can then file a claim with the IRS to request a replacement or to claim the payment on your tax return. Keep in mind that the IRS processes these requests slowly, so you may not receive a response for several months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I claim a stimulus check I never received on my taxes?
Yes. If the IRS records show a payment was sent to you but you never received it, or if no payment was sent because of a mismatch in records, you can claim the payment as a credit on your tax return for the year it was supposed to be sent. You will need to file a return or an amended return to claim it.
What if I received a stimulus check but I was not supposed to?
You do not have to return it. The IRS has not required people to repay stimulus payments, even if they later determined someone was not may have access to to one. However, if you received a payment and your income was above the threshold, the IRS may have already accounted for that in their records.
Will there be another stimulus check in the future?
There is no current plan for another stimulus payment. Congress would have to pass new legislation to authorize one. If that happens, SSDI recipients would likely be notified through official government channels, not through advertisements or unsolicited emails.
How do I know if a website claiming to help me get a stimulus check is legitimate?
The IRS does not charge fees to help you claim a stimulus payment, and neither does Social Security. If a website asks you to pay money or give up personal information to claim a check, it is not legitimate. The official IRS tool is free and requires only your Social Security number, date of birth, and address.