SSDI recipients received all three stimulus checks

If you were receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) when the federal government sent stimulus payments in 2020 and 2021, you got the money automatically. You did not have to file a tax return or take any action. The Social Security Administration sent the payments directly to your bank account or mailed a check, just as it does with your regular SSDI payment.

The three rounds of stimulus checks went out between March 2020 and March 2021. The first payment was $1,200 per person, the second was $600, and the third was $1,400. SSDI recipients were treated the same as Social Security retirees — the government used the same payment method you already had on file.

If you were on SSDI but did not receive a payment, or if you received only some of the three checks, the issue was usually a problem with your address on file, a closed or incorrect bank account, or a delay in the Social Security Administration's records. The IRS has a tool to track what you received, and you can claim any missing payments when you file your taxes.

Key Takeaways

  • SSDI recipients automatically received all three stimulus checks without having to do anything or file paperwork.
  • The payments were sent using the same method Social Security uses for regular SSDI deposits — direct deposit or check by mail.
  • If you did not receive a check, the most common reasons are an outdated address, a closed bank account, or a delay in Social Security's records.
  • You can track which stimulus payments you received using the IRS's "Get My Payment" tool or by checking your tax records.

How the payments were sent to SSDI recipients

The Social Security Administration did not send SSDI recipients to a separate process or website. Instead, it used the payment information already in your file. If you received your SSDI by direct deposit, your stimulus check went to that same bank account. If you received a paper check each month, the stimulus payment came as a paper check to your mailing address.

This automatic process meant that SSDI recipients got their money faster than people who had to file a tax return to claim the payment. There was no form to fill out, no important date to meet, and no risk of missing the payment because you did not know about it.

The timing of the three payments was different. The first stimulus checks began arriving in April 2020. The second round started in December 2020 and continued into January 2021. The third round began in March 2021. If your bank account or address changed between these dates, you may have received some checks but not others.

What to do if you did not receive a stimulus check

Start by checking the IRS's "Get My Payment" tool at irs.gov. This tool shows you the exact date each of the three stimulus payments was sent and where it was sent — to which bank account or mailing address. If the tool shows a payment was sent but you never received it, the next step depends on where it was supposed to go.

If the payment was sent to a bank account that you no longer use or that was closed, contact that bank. Banks hold unclaimed stimulus checks for a limited time before returning them to the IRS. If enough time has passed, the money may have been returned, and you will need to claim it on your tax return instead.

If the payment was sent to an old address, check with your current and former neighbors, or contact your local post office. The Postal Service forwards mail for a limited time, but stimulus checks sent years ago are unlikely to arrive now.

If the IRS tool shows no record of a payment being sent to you, or if you believe the information is wrong, you can file a Form 1040 tax return and claim the missing amount as a Recovery Rebate Credit. You will need to report the amounts you actually received so the IRS can calculate what you are owed.

Stimulus checks and SSDI benefit amounts

The stimulus checks did not reduce your SSDI payments. They were one-time federal payments separate from your monthly benefit. You kept both the stimulus money and your regular SSDI check.

The stimulus payments also did not count as income for the purpose of SSDI's work incentive programs or other benefit calculations. Social Security did not use the stimulus money to reduce your benefits in any month.

If you received a stimulus check by mistake

Some people received stimulus payments they were not supposed to get — for example, if they had died before the payment was sent, or if the payment went to the wrong person. If you received a check that was not meant for you, you can return it to the IRS. You can also report it when you file your taxes and let the IRS sort it out.

If you spent the money and later learn it was sent by mistake, the IRS may ask you to repay it. However, the IRS has been lenient with stimulus payment errors and has not aggressively pursued repayment from people who received checks in good faith.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to report the stimulus checks as income on my taxes?

No. The stimulus checks were not taxable income, and you do not report them on your tax return. If you are filing a return to claim a missing stimulus payment, you report it as a Recovery Rebate Credit, not as income.

What if I got a stimulus check but I was not on SSDI at the time?

You may still have been on the Social Security Administration's records from a previous time you received benefits. The government used multiple databases to identify who should get payments, so you could have received a check based on old information. Check the IRS tool to see what was sent and when.

Can I claim a stimulus check I never received on my 2024 taxes?

You can only claim stimulus payments on the tax year they were issued. The first payment was for 2020, the second for 2020, and the third for 2021. If you did not claim them in those years, you may not be able to claim them now, depending on the tax important date rules in your state.

If I was in prison when a stimulus check was sent, did I get it?

No. Federal law prohibited stimulus payments to people incarcerated in federal, state, or local prisons. If you were incarcerated when a payment was sent, you did not receive it. You may be able to claim it now if you have since been released, but check with a tax professional about the rules in your situation.