No fourth stimulus check was issued to SSDI recipients in 2022

The federal government did not send a fourth round of stimulus payments in 2022. Three rounds of Economic Impact Payments were issued during the COVID-19 pandemic: the first in spring 2020, the second in early 2021, and the third in spring 2021. SSDI recipients who met the income and filing requirements received those three payments automatically, without having to take any action.

After the third payment in 2021, Congress did not authorize additional stimulus checks. Some proposals for a fourth payment circulated in 2022, but none became law. If you received the first three payments and did not receive a fourth in 2022, that is because no fourth payment was issued to anyone.

Key Takeaways

  • Three stimulus payments were issued during the pandemic: April 2020, January 2021, and March 2021; no fourth payment was authorized or sent in 2022.
  • SSDI recipients who were on the rolls during each payment period and met income limits received the first three payments automatically through their existing benefit accounts.
  • If you did not receive one of the first three payments, you could claim it on your 2020 or 2021 tax return using the Recovery Rebate Credit, even if you did not normally file taxes.
  • Scams claiming to help you recover a "missing" fourth stimulus check have circulated; the IRS and Social Security do not contact people by unsolicited email or phone about stimulus payments.

How the three stimulus payments worked for SSDI recipients

SSDI recipients did not need to file a tax return or submit any form to receive the first three stimulus payments. The Social Security Administration automatically sent the money to the bank account or address on file for anyone receiving SSDI benefits in the month the payment was issued. The amounts were $1,200 (first payment), $600 (second payment), and $1,400 (third payment).

The payments were based on your SSDI status and income, not on whether you had filed a recent tax return. If you were receiving SSDI when the payment was issued and your annual income was below the threshold for that round, you received the full amount. The income limits were high enough that most SSDI recipients may have access to.

If you were receiving SSI (Supplemental Security Income) instead of SSDI, you also received the three payments automatically through the same process. The two programs use different funding sources and may be able to access rules, but both groups were included in all three stimulus rounds.

What to do if you did not receive one of the three payments

If you were on the SSDI rolls during one of the three payment periods but did not receive the money, you could claim it on your federal tax return. For the 2020 payment, you used the Recovery Rebate Credit on your 2020 tax return. For the 2021 payments, you used the same credit on your 2021 return.

You did not have to file a tax return to claim the credit if you normally did not file. The IRS allowed anyone who received SSDI to file a return solely to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit and receive the missing payment. You could file the return by mail or electronically through a tax preparation service or the IRS Free File program.

The important date to claim the 2020 payment on your 2020 return was April 15, 2021. The important date to claim the 2021 payments on your 2021 return was April 18, 2022. If you missed those important date, you can still file an amended return (Form 1040-X) to claim the credit, though the IRS may take longer to process it.

Why there was no fourth payment in 2022

Congress authorized the three stimulus payments as emergency relief during the acute phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. By 2022, the economic situation had shifted. Inflation was rising, unemployment was low, and the pandemic had moved into a different phase. Lawmakers disagreed on whether additional stimulus payments were needed or would worsen inflation.

Several proposals for a fourth payment were introduced in Congress in 2022, but none advanced to a vote. Some proposals would have sent payments only to lower-income households or to people who had lost income during the pandemic. Others would have sent universal payments like the first three rounds. Without agreement on the amount, income limits, or whether the payment was necessary, no bill passed.

Scams claiming to help recover a missing fourth payment

Scammers have used the absence of a fourth stimulus check to target SSDI recipients. Common scams include emails or text messages claiming you are owed a "missing" stimulus payment and asking you to click a link or provide personal information to claim it. Other scams offer to help you file a claim for a fourth payment in exchange for a fee or access to your bank account.

The IRS and Social Security Administration do not contact people by unsolicited email, text message, or phone call about stimulus payments. If you receive such a message, do not click any links or provide any information. Delete the message or report it to the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov.

If you believe you are owed one of the first three stimulus payments, contact the IRS directly at 1-800-829-1040 or visit irs.gov. You can also work with a tax preparer or use the IRS Free File program to file a return claiming the Recovery Rebate Credit. Do not pay anyone to help you recover a stimulus payment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Could a fourth stimulus check still be issued in the future?

Congress would have to pass a new law authorizing it. No such law has been proposed or passed since 2022. Future stimulus payments would depend on economic conditions and whether lawmakers agree that additional relief is needed. There is no current plan for a fourth payment.

If I missed the important date to claim a missing payment, can I still get it?

Yes. You can file an amended return (Form 1040-X) at any time to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit for the first three stimulus payments. The IRS will process it, though it may take several months. You do not need to pay anyone to file an amended return; you can do it yourself or use a tax preparer.

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

The IRS has not required people to return stimulus payments that were sent in error. If you received a payment you believe you were not may have access to to, you can contact the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 to report it. Keep records of the payment in case the IRS follows up with you later.

Do I have to report stimulus payments as income on my SSDI case?

No. The stimulus payments were not counted as income for SSDI or SSI purposes. They did not affect your benefit amount or your may be able to access. You do not need to report them to Social Security.