There was no fourth stimulus check issued to SSDI recipients

The federal government issued three rounds of stimulus payments during the COVID-19 pandemic: in March 2020, December 2020, and March 2021. Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) recipients were included in all three rounds. No fourth stimulus payment was authorized by Congress, and no fourth check was sent to any group of beneficiaries, including SSDI recipients.

If you received a payment after March 2021 that you believed was a stimulus check, it was likely a different type of payment—such as a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) to your regular SSDI benefit, a tax refund, or a payment from another program. Scams claiming to offer a "fourth stimulus check" have circulated online and by phone, so it is important to know what actually happened with the three authorized payments and how to spot false claims.

Key Takeaways

  • Congress authorized exactly three stimulus payments during the pandemic: March 2020 ($1,200), December 2020 ($600), and March 2021 ($1,400).
  • SSDI recipients received all three payments automatically if they had a valid Social Security number and met income limits, with no separate process required.
  • Payments after March 2021 claiming to be stimulus checks are either scams or misidentified payments from other sources.
  • The IRS and Social Security Administration do not contact people by phone, text, or email to offer stimulus payments or ask for personal information.

The three actual stimulus payments and who received them

The first stimulus payment, authorized under the CARES Act in March 2020, sent $1,200 to most adults and $500 per child. The second payment, authorized in December 2020, sent $600 per person. The third payment, authorized in March 2021, sent $1,400 per person. SSDI recipients were treated the same as other Social Security beneficiaries: the payments were deposited directly into the bank account on file with Social Security, or mailed as a check if no account was on file.

You did not need to file a tax return or submit any form to receive these payments. Social Security automatically sent the money to people who were receiving SSDI, SSI (Supplemental Security Income), or other Social Security benefits as of a specific date in each round. The only requirement was having a valid Social Security number and a valid address on file.

Income limits applied to all three rounds. If your income was above a certain threshold, the payment was reduced or eliminated. For the third payment in 2021, for example, the payment began to phase out at $75,000 for single filers and $150,000 for joint filers. SSDI recipients with very high outside income may not have received the full payment or any payment at all.

How to verify if you received your three stimulus payments

You can check the status of all three stimulus payments through the IRS website using the "Get My Payment" tool, which is still available. Go to irs.gov and search for "stimulus payment status" or "Get My Payment." You will need your Social Security number, date of birth, and mailing address. The tool will show you whether each of the three payments was sent, the amount, and the method (direct deposit or check).

If the tool shows that a payment was sent but you never received it, the next step depends on the payment round. For the first two rounds, the IRS issued a special tax credit that you could claim on your 2020 or 2021 tax return if you did not receive the payment. For the third payment, you could claim the Recovery Rebate Credit on your 2021 tax return. If you did not file a tax return for that year, you may still be able to file now to claim the credit, though there are time limits.

Contact Social Security directly if you believe there was an error with your payment. Call 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern time. Have your Social Security number and payment details ready.

Recognizing scams claiming to offer a fourth stimulus check

Scammers have used the hope of a fourth stimulus payment to steal personal information and money from SSDI recipients and other people. Common scam tactics include phone calls, text messages, and emails claiming that you are owed a fourth payment and asking you to click a link, call a number, or provide your Social Security number, bank account details, or PIN.

The IRS and Social Security Administration never initiate contact by phone, text, or email to offer payments or ask for personal information. If someone contacts you claiming to represent these agencies and asking for details, it is a scam. Hang up or delete the message when ready. Do not call the number they provided.

Legitimate government payments are deposited directly into your bank account or mailed to your address on file—you do not have to do anything to receive them. If you see a website or social media post claiming a fourth stimulus check is available, assume it is false unless you see an official announcement on irs.gov or ssa.gov.

What to do if you think you were scammed

If you gave your personal information to someone claiming to offer a stimulus payment, contact your bank when ready and tell them about the potential fraud. Ask them to monitor your account for unauthorized transactions and consider placing a fraud alert on your credit report.

Report the scam to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at reportfraud.ftc.gov. You can also file a complaint with the Social Security Administration's Office of Inspector General at oig.ssa.gov or call 1-800-269-0271. If you lost money, report it to your local police department as well.

If a scammer obtained your Social Security number, you can place a credit freeze with the three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) to prevent someone from opening accounts in your name. This is free and takes about 15 minutes per bureau.

Why no fourth stimulus payment was issued

After the third stimulus payment in March 2021, Congress did not authorize a fourth round. Lawmakers debated additional relief packages, but no bill that included another direct payment to individuals passed both chambers of Congress. Some proposals for a fourth payment were introduced but did not advance to a vote.

Economic conditions and political disagreement over the size and scope of additional spending were the main reasons no fourth payment was authorized. By mid-2021, vaccination rates were rising and the economy was reopening, which reduced the political urgency for another round of direct payments. Any future stimulus payments would require new legislation passed by Congress and signed by the President.

Other payments SSDI recipients may have received and mistaken for stimulus

SSDI recipients sometimes receive other payments that are not stimulus checks. A cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) is an annual increase to your regular SSDI benefit, usually announced in October and effective the following January. This is not a one-time payment but a permanent increase to your monthly benefit amount.

Tax refunds from the IRS are another common source of confusion. If you filed a tax return and overpaid taxes, your refund may have arrived around the same time as a stimulus payment or in a separate deposit. The IRS will send you a notice explaining any refund.

Some states issued their own relief payments to residents during the pandemic. These were separate from federal stimulus checks and varied by state. If you received a payment from your state government, it would have come with documentation explaining its source.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I still claim the stimulus payments I missed on my taxes?

Yes, but only for the first three payments and only if you did not receive them. You can claim the Recovery Rebate Credit on your tax return for any of the three payments you did not get. You must file a tax return to claim this credit. If you do not normally file because your income is too low, you may still want to file to claim the credit. The important date to claim the credit is generally three years from the original payment date, but you should file as soon as you can.

I received a payment I think was a stimulus check but I am not sure. How do I find out what it was?

Check your bank statement or the cancelled check to see the date and amount. Then use the IRS "Get My Payment" tool to see if a stimulus payment matches that date and amount. If it does not match, contact Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 to ask what the payment was. It may have been a COLA increase, a correction to an overpayment, or another type of benefit adjustment.

Someone called me saying I may have access to for a fourth stimulus check. Is this real?

No. There is no fourth stimulus check. This is a scam. Hang up when ready and do not provide any information. The IRS and Social Security do not call people to offer payments. If you are concerned you were targeted, report the call to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov.

Do I have to pay taxes on the stimulus payments I received?

No. The three stimulus payments were not taxable income and do not need to be reported on your tax return. They do not reduce your SSDI benefit or count as income for purposes of other means-tested programs.

What if I received a stimulus payment but I was not supposed to because my income was too high?

The IRS may contact you about this, but it will be through the mail, not by phone or email. If you received a payment you were not may have access to to, you may owe it back. The IRS will explain what you owe and how to repay it. You can also claim a credit or deduction on your tax return if you repay the amount. Consult a tax professional if you are unsure about your situation.