SSDI recipients did not receive a separate stimulus check in 2022
There was no federal stimulus payment issued to Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) beneficiaries in 2022. The last round of stimulus checks — the third payment — went out in 2021 under the American Rescue Plan Act. After that, Congress did not pass legislation creating additional stimulus payments for any group, including SSDI recipients.
The confusion often stems from the fact that SSDI recipients were included in all three rounds of stimulus payments (2020 and 2021). Many people expected a fourth payment in 2022, but no such payment was authorized. If you received a payment in 2022 claiming to be a stimulus check, it was not a federal stimulus payment.
SSDI recipients in 2022 did receive their regular monthly SSDI payments and, if they were also receiving Medicare, they continued to pay their standard premiums. Some states ran their own relief programs during 2022, but these were separate from any federal stimulus initiative.
Key Takeaways
- The third and final federal stimulus check was distributed in 2021; no stimulus payments were issued in 2022.
- SSDI recipients were included in all three rounds of stimulus payments (2020–2021) but received no fourth payment.
- If you received a payment in 2022 labeled as stimulus, verify it through your Social Security account or by calling Social Security directly.
- Some states created their own relief or tax credit programs in 2022 that were unrelated to federal stimulus.
How the three stimulus payments worked for SSDI recipients
SSDI recipients were treated the same as other Social Security beneficiaries across all three stimulus rounds. The first payment (2020) was $1,200 per adult. The second (2020) was $600 per adult. The third (2021) was $1,400 per adult. may be able to access dependents also received payments in each round.
Unlike workers who had to file a tax return to claim the payment, SSDI recipients did not need to take any action. Social Security automatically sent the payment to the bank account or address on file. Most payments arrived by direct deposit within days of the authorization date.
The payments were not taxable income and did not reduce SSDI benefits. They also did not count as income for purposes of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) limits, though SSI recipients faced a temporary exclusion that protected their benefits from the payment.
Why there was no stimulus in 2022
By 2022, the economic conditions that prompted stimulus payments had shifted. Inflation had become the primary concern, and Congress focused on other policy responses. No legislation was introduced that would have created a fourth stimulus payment for any population, including SSDI recipients.
Some members of Congress proposed additional payments, but these proposals did not advance to a vote. The political environment in 2022 — a midterm election year with divided control of Congress — made passage of new spending legislation unlikely.
SSDI recipients were not singled out for exclusion; rather, no stimulus program existed for anyone in 2022. Workers, retirees, and people receiving disability benefits all received no federal stimulus that year.
Scams claiming to offer 2022 stimulus checks to SSDI recipients
After 2021, scammers began targeting SSDI recipients with false claims about unclaimed stimulus money. These scams typically arrive by email, text, or phone call and ask you to verify personal information or pay a fee to "unlock" a payment.
Social Security will never contact you unsolicited to offer money or ask you to verify information by phone or email. If someone claims you have an unclaimed stimulus payment waiting, it is a scam. Legitimate government payments are never held up pending verification or a fee.
If you received such a contact, do not respond or click any links. You can report it to the Social Security Office of Inspector General at oig.ssa.gov or by calling 1-800-269-0271.
How to verify if you received all three stimulus payments
You can check your stimulus payment history through your Social Security account at ssa.gov. Sign in to "my Social Security," then look for the payment history section. This shows the dates and amounts of any stimulus payments sent to you.
If you believe you did not receive a payment you were may have access to to, you can contact Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778). Have your Social Security number and the year in question ready. Social Security can confirm whether a payment was issued and, if so, where it was sent.
If a payment was sent but you never received it, the issue is usually with your bank or address on file, not with Social Security. Social Security can help you update your address or investigate a missing direct deposit, but they cannot reissue a payment from 2020 or 2021 without documentation that it was lost.
State relief programs in 2022 that were not federal stimulus
Several states created their own relief payments or tax credits in 2022, funded by state budgets rather than federal stimulus. California, Colorado, and a handful of other states sent checks to residents, though the amounts and may be able to access rules varied widely by state.
These state programs were not stimulus checks in the federal sense and were not automatically sent to SSDI recipients. Some required you to file a state tax return or meet specific income thresholds. If you lived in a state that ran such a program, you would have received information from your state tax authority or state social services office, not from Social Security.
To find out whether your state offered any relief in 2022, contact your state's tax department or social services agency directly. Social Security does not administer state-level payments.
What SSDI recipients received instead of stimulus in 2022
In 2022, SSDI recipients received a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) to their monthly benefit. The COLA for 2022 was 5.9 percent, one of the largest increases in decades. This meant that if you received $1,000 per month in 2021, your 2022 payment increased to $1,059.
The COLA is automatic and applies to all Social Security beneficiaries, including those on SSDI and retirement benefits. It is calculated each year based on inflation data from the Consumer Price Index. Unlike stimulus payments, the COLA is permanent and continues year to year.
SSDI recipients also continued to receive Medicare coverage (after a 24-month waiting period from the date their disability began). Medicare premiums were adjusted in 2022, but the standard Part B premium remained $170.10 per month for most beneficiaries.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I still claim a 2022 stimulus check if I missed the earlier ones?
No. Stimulus payments from 2020 and 2021 are no longer available. If you did not receive one you were may have access to to, you would have needed to claim it on your 2020 or 2021 tax return using the Recovery Rebate Credit. That window has closed. Contact Social Security to confirm whether a payment was sent to you.
What if I received a payment in 2022 that I thought was stimulus?
Check your Social Security account or your bank statement to see what the payment was labeled as. It was likely your regular monthly SSDI benefit, a retroactive payment, or a state-level relief payment. Call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 if you cannot identify it.
Will there be another stimulus check in the future?
There is no current plan for another federal stimulus payment. Any future stimulus would require new legislation passed by Congress. SSDI recipients would be included if such a payment were created, but there is no indication one will be.
Does receiving stimulus reduce my SSDI benefits?
No. The three stimulus payments issued in 2020 and 2021 did not reduce SSDI benefits and were not counted as income for benefit calculation purposes. This was true for all recipients, not just SSDI beneficiaries.
How do I report a scam claiming to offer me a 2022 stimulus check?
Report it to the Social Security Office of Inspector General at oig.ssa.gov or by phone at 1-800-269-0271. You can also report it to the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov. Do not respond to the scammer or provide any personal information.