SSDI and the Fourth Stimulus Check: What Happened

There is no fourth stimulus check. The federal government issued three rounds of Economic Impact Payments during the COVID-19 pandemic: in 2020, 2021, and 2021. Congress has not authorized a fourth payment, and no legislation currently pending would create one.

SSDI recipients were included in all three rounds. If you received SSDI in 2020 or 2021, you almost certainly received all three payments automatically—the Social Security Administration sent them without requiring a separate process. The payments went to your bank account on file or arrived as a check or debit card, depending on how you receive your regular benefits.

Scams claiming to help you "get" a fourth check, or claiming you missed one of the first three, are common. The IRS and Social Security do not contact people by text, email, or unsolicited phone call to offer stimulus money or ask you to verify information to receive it.

Key Takeaways

  • Three stimulus payments were issued during 2020 and 2021; no fourth payment has been authorized by Congress.
  • SSDI recipients received all three payments automatically through Social Security without filing a separate form.
  • If you did not receive a payment you believe you were owed, the IRS has a tool to check your payment status on its website.
  • Scammers pose as the IRS or Social Security to trick people into sharing personal information or paying fees for stimulus money.

How the Three Payments Were Distributed to SSDI Recipients

The Social Security Administration handled stimulus payments for SSDI beneficiaries directly. You did not need to file a tax return, contact the IRS, or submit any form. SSA used the information it already had on file—your bank account, mailing address, and payment method—to send the money.

The first payment ($1,200 per adult) went out in spring 2020. The second ($600 per adult) arrived in late 2020 and early 2021. The third ($1,400 per adult) was sent in 2021. Dependent children on your record also received payments. If you were receiving SSDI at the time each payment was issued, you should have received it.

Some people received payments by direct deposit to their bank account. Others received a paper check or a debit card in the mail. The method depended on how you normally receive your SSDI payment and what information SSA had on file.

What to Do If You Think You Missed a Payment

The IRS maintains a tool called "Get My Payment" on its website (irs.gov) that shows the status of all three stimulus payments sent to you. You can enter your Social Security number, date of birth, and mailing address to see whether each payment was issued, when it was sent, and how it was delivered.

If the tool shows a payment was issued but you never received it, the next step depends on how it was sent. For direct deposits, contact your bank to ask whether the payment arrived and was deposited to a different account. For checks or debit cards, wait 21 days from the issue date before assuming it was lost in the mail; if it does not arrive, you can request a replacement through the IRS.

If the tool shows no payment was issued to you, you may have been missed due to a data mismatch—for example, if SSA had an outdated address or bank account on file. In that case, you can claim the payment when you file your next tax return, even if you do not normally file. The IRS has instructions for this on its website.

Why Some SSDI Recipients Did Not Receive Payments

A small number of SSDI recipients did not receive stimulus payments, usually because of a mismatch between the information SSA had on file and what the IRS used to issue the payment. This could happen if you changed your address or bank account and updated one agency but not the other.

People who were incarcerated at the time a payment was issued were not may be able to access and did not receive it. If you were incarcerated when one or more payments were sent, you cannot claim those payments on a tax return.

Non-citizens who are not U.S. residents for tax purposes were also ineligible. SSDI recipients who are lawful permanent residents or have a valid work visa were generally included, but the rules were complex and some people in this category were excluded in error.

Spotting Stimulus Payment Scams

Scammers have used stimulus payments as bait since 2020. Common tactics include text messages claiming you are owed a fourth check, emails asking you to "verify" your information to receive a payment, and phone calls from people claiming to be from the IRS or Social Security.

The real IRS and Social Security Administration do not initiate contact by text, email, or unsolicited phone call. They do not ask you to confirm your Social Security number, bank account, or password. They do not charge a fee to send you money you are owed. If someone contacts you about a stimulus payment and asks for personal information or money, it is a scam.

If you receive a suspicious message, do not click any links or call any phone number in it. Report it to the IRS at phishing@irs.gov or to the Social Security Administration's Office of Inspector General at oig.ssa.gov.

What Congress Has Discussed About Future Payments

Various members of Congress have proposed additional stimulus payments at different times, but none of these proposals have become law. Some proposals would have sent money to all Americans; others would have targeted specific groups like disabled people or low-income households. As of now, no fourth payment is authorized or scheduled.

If Congress does pass legislation authorizing another stimulus payment in the future, SSDI recipients would almost certainly be included, just as they were in the first three rounds. Any new payment would be announced by the IRS and Social Security Administration through their official websites and press releases, not through unsolicited messages to individuals.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I claim a stimulus payment I missed on my tax return?

Yes, if you did not receive one of the three payments and were owed it, you can claim the payment as a credit on your tax return for the year it was issued. You do not need to file a tax return normally to claim this credit. The IRS has a form and instructions on its website for people claiming stimulus payments they did not receive.

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

You do not have to repay it. The IRS has stated that people who received stimulus payments in error do not owe the money back. This applies to all three payments. If you have concerns, you can contact the IRS, but you are not required to return the money.

Do I need to report stimulus payments as income on my taxes?

No. Stimulus payments are not taxable income and do not need to be reported on your tax return. They do not affect your SSDI benefits, Medicare, or Medicaid. You can keep the full amount without any impact on your benefits or tax liability.

If a fourth stimulus check is passed, will I get it automatically?

If Congress authorizes another payment, SSDI recipients would receive it the same way as the first three: automatically through Social Security, without needing to explore or file a form. You would not need to do anything. Any announcement would come from the IRS and Social Security Administration through their official channels.