SSDI and the 2023 Stimulus Payments

If you received Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) in 2023, you did not receive a separate stimulus check that year. The last federal stimulus payments went out in 2021 as part of the American Rescue Plan. SSDI recipients who were on the rolls in 2021 received those payments automatically—no process was needed.

The confusion often comes from news coverage of stimulus discussions and from scams claiming to offer "unclaimed" payments. No legitimate 2023 stimulus program existed for SSDI recipients. If you see ads or emails promising a 2023 stimulus check, they are not from the Social Security Administration (SSA) or any federal agency.

What did happen in 2023 was a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) to SSDI benefit amounts. This is a yearly increase tied to inflation, not a one-time stimulus payment. Your SSDI check itself went up, but this was a permanent change to your monthly benefit, not a separate payment.

Key Takeaways

  • No stimulus checks were issued to SSDI recipients in 2023; the last federal stimulus program ended in 2021.
  • SSDI recipients who were on the rolls in 2021 received stimulus payments automatically without having to take any action.
  • In 2023, SSDI recipients received a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) increase to their regular monthly benefit amount instead.
  • Scams and misleading ads claiming to offer 2023 stimulus payments to SSDI recipients are not legitimate.

How the 2021 Stimulus Worked for SSDI Recipients

The American Rescue Plan, passed in March 2021, included a one-time payment of $1,400 per person. SSDI recipients were included automatically. You did not have to file a tax return, call SSA, or submit any paperwork. If you were receiving SSDI benefits in March 2021, the payment was deposited into the same account where your regular SSDI check goes.

The SSA did not mail separate checks or send notices about the stimulus. The payment straightforward appeared in your bank account or prepaid card account. If you were not receiving SSDI in March 2021 but started later that year, you did not receive the stimulus payment.

Some SSDI recipients received the payment late—sometimes weeks or months after the initial rollout—but everyone who was may be able to access eventually received it. If you believe you should have received the 2021 stimulus but did not, that issue would have needed to be addressed in 2021 or 2022, not in 2023.

The 2023 Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) Instead

In October 2022, the SSA announced that SSDI benefits would increase by 8.7 percent starting in January 2023. This was the largest COLA increase in decades, driven by high inflation in 2022. This increase applied to all SSDI recipients automatically—again, no action was required on your part.

A COLA is not a stimulus payment. It is a permanent increase to your monthly benefit amount. Your January 2023 SSDI check was larger than your December 2022 check, and every check after that remained at the higher amount. The increase continued into 2024 and beyond unless Congress changes the law.

The 2023 COLA was one-time news in the sense that it was unusually large, but it is a regular feature of SSDI. The SSA adjusts benefits every year based on inflation data from the previous year. Some years the adjustment is small; some years it is larger.

Spotting Scams About 2023 Stimulus Payments

After 2021, scammers began running ads and sending emails claiming that SSDI recipients could get "unclaimed" stimulus money or that a new stimulus round was coming. These messages often ask you to click a link, call a phone number, or provide personal information to "verify" your identity or "unlock" a payment.

The SSA will never contact you by email, text message, or unsolicited phone call to offer money or ask you to verify information. If you receive such a message, do not click any links or call any numbers in it. Delete the email or hang up the phone.

If you want to check your SSDI account or verify your benefits, go directly to ssa.gov or call the official SSA number at 1-800-772-1213. Do not use a phone number or website from an email or ad.

What to Do If You Missed the 2021 Stimulus

If you were receiving SSDI in March 2021 but never received the $1,400 stimulus payment, the time to address it has passed. The IRS and SSA stopped processing stimulus claims in 2022. You cannot file a claim now or request a replacement payment.

The only exception is if you filed a 2020 tax return after the stimulus was issued and the IRS used that return to send you a payment you had not received. That process also ended in 2022.

If you have questions about whether you received the payment, you can contact the SSA at 1-800-772-1213 to ask about your account history, but they cannot issue a new payment for a missed 2021 stimulus.

Understanding COLA and Future Benefit Changes

The 8.7 percent increase in 2023 was large because inflation was high in 2022. The 2024 COLA was 3.2 percent, and the 2025 COLA was 3.2 percent as well. These smaller increases reflect lower inflation in recent years.

You will receive a notice from SSA each October or November telling you what your new benefit amount will be starting in January. You do not have to do anything in response. The new amount takes effect automatically.

If you believe your SSDI payment is incorrect or if you have questions about your benefit amount, contact the SSA directly at 1-800-772-1213 or visit your local Social Security office. You can find office locations at ssa.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a 2024 or 2025 stimulus check for SSDI recipients?

No. There is no stimulus program for SSDI recipients in 2024 or 2025. SSDI recipients receive a yearly cost-of-living adjustment to their regular benefit amount, but this is not a stimulus payment. If you see ads claiming otherwise, they are scams.

What if I was not on SSDI in 2021 but started receiving it later?

You would not have received the 2021 stimulus payment. Stimulus payments were only for people who were already receiving benefits when the payment was issued. You cannot go back and claim it now.

Can I get a replacement check if mine was lost or stolen?

If your 2021 stimulus check was lost or stolen, you should have reported it to the IRS in 2021 or 2022. The IRS stopped processing replacement requests in 2022. Contact the SSA at 1-800-772-1213 to ask about your account, but they cannot issue a new payment.

How do I know if a message about a stimulus payment is a scam?

The SSA will never contact you by email, text, or unsolicited phone call to offer money or ask you to verify information. If you receive such a message, it is a scam. Do not click links or call numbers in the message. Go directly to ssa.gov or call 1-800-772-1213 if you have questions.