There was no fourth stimulus check

The federal government issued three rounds of stimulus payments during the COVID-19 pandemic: in 2020, 2021, and 2021. There was no fourth stimulus check sent to the general public, including SSDI recipients. If you received three payments between March 2020 and January 2022, that was the complete series.

Some states did create their own relief programs after the federal payments ended, but these were separate from stimulus checks and varied widely by location. A few states sent additional payments to residents who met specific criteria, but these were state-level decisions, not federal ones.

Key Takeaways

  • The federal government sent exactly three stimulus payments to most people: in March 2020, December 2020, and March 2021.
  • SSDI recipients were included in all three rounds if they met the income and filing status requirements for each payment.
  • No fourth federal stimulus check was issued to the general population.
  • Some states created their own relief payments after the federal program ended, but these were not stimulus checks and had different rules.

Who received the three federal stimulus payments

To receive a stimulus check, you needed to have a valid Social Security number, be a U.S. citizen or resident alien, and have a filing status that may have access to. The income limits changed slightly between rounds, but generally, single filers with income under $75,000 to $80,000 received the full amount, and married couples filing jointly with income under $150,000 to $160,000 received the full amount.

SSDI recipients automatically met the income requirement for the first two payments because Social Security benefits were not counted as income for stimulus purposes. For the third payment in 2021, the same rule applied. If you received SSDI and had no other income above the threshold, you received the full payment in each round.

The three payments were: $1,200 in the first round (March 2020), $600 in the second round (December 2020), and $1,400 in the third round (March 2021).

How SSDI recipients received their payments

If you had direct deposit set up with Social Security, your stimulus check went to that same bank account automatically. If you did not have direct deposit, the IRS mailed a paper check to your address on file. Some people received a debit card instead, depending on how the IRS had processed their prior tax returns.

SSDI recipients did not need to take any action to receive the payments. The Social Security Administration and the IRS coordinated to send the money without requiring an process or claim.

What to do if you never received a stimulus payment

If you believe you should have received one or more of the three stimulus payments but did not, you can claim the amount on your tax return. The IRS calls this the Recovery Rebate Credit. You file it on your federal income tax return for the year the payment should have been sent.

To claim the credit, you will need to file a tax return even if you normally do not file one. You can file for free using IRS Free File if your income is below a certain threshold, or you can work with a tax preparer. The IRS website has a tool called "Get My Payment" that was active during the stimulus period and may still show information about payments sent to you.

If you did not file taxes in prior years and are unsure whether you received a payment, contact the IRS directly at 1-800-829-1040 or visit irs.gov to check your payment status.

State-level relief programs after the federal payments ended

After the third federal stimulus check in 2021, some states created their own relief payments. California, Colorado, Georgia, and a few others sent additional money to residents, but these were not stimulus checks and had different rules than the federal program.

These state programs typically had income limits, residency requirements, or other conditions. Some were limited to people who had received unemployment benefits, others to renters or homeowners, and others to specific groups. If you live in a state that created a relief program, your state's tax or revenue department would have information about whether you were part of it.

To find out whether your state sent any relief payments, search "[your state name] relief payment" or contact your state's tax department directly.

Why there was no fourth stimulus check

Congress authorized the three stimulus payments as emergency relief during the acute phase of the pandemic. By late 2021 and into 2022, the economy had begun to recover, unemployment had dropped, and the political consensus for additional broad-based payments had shifted. Proposals for a fourth payment did not gain enough support in Congress to pass.

Some advocacy groups and lawmakers continued to call for additional payments, but no fourth federal stimulus check was authorized or sent. Any claims online about a "fourth stimulus check" for SSDI recipients or others are not accurate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get a fourth stimulus check if I missed the first three?

No fourth stimulus check exists. If you missed one of the three payments that were sent, you can claim it as a Recovery Rebate Credit on your federal tax return for the year it should have been sent. You will need to file a tax return to claim it, even if you do not normally file.

Do I have to pay back my stimulus checks?

No. The stimulus payments were not loans. You do not owe them back to the government, and they do not affect your SSDI benefits or your may be able to access for other programs.

Will there ever be another stimulus check?

Congress would need to authorize and pass a new law to send another stimulus payment. There is no current plan to do so, and no fourth payment has been announced. Be cautious of websites or social media posts claiming a new stimulus check is coming — these are typically scams.

What if someone is asking me to pay to claim a stimulus check I missed?

Do not pay anyone to help you claim a Recovery Rebate Credit. You can file your tax return for free through IRS Free File, or you can work with a tax preparer who charges a standard fee. The IRS does not charge to process your claim.