No new stimulus payments were issued to SSDI recipients in 2024
There is no stimulus payment schedule for SSDI recipients in 2024. The last round of federal stimulus payments ended in 2021, when the American Rescue Plan distributed its final checks. No new stimulus program has been announced or funded for 2024, and no payments are scheduled to go out to Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) recipients or any other group this year.
If you received stimulus payments in 2020 or 2021, those were one-time payments tied to specific legislation passed during the pandemic. Each round had its own payment schedule, may be able to access rules, and payment method. Those programs are closed.
What you may be seeing online are either outdated articles from 2020–2021, scams claiming to offer stimulus money, or confusion about other programs that do send regular payments to SSDI recipients (like your monthly SSDI benefit itself, or cost-of-living adjustments).
Key Takeaways
- Stimulus payments were a temporary pandemic response that ended in 2021; no new stimulus program exists for 2024.
- SSDI recipients who were may be able to access in 2020 or 2021 received payments automatically if they had a bank account on file with Social Security, or by check or debit card if they did not.
- Your regular monthly SSDI payment and annual cost-of-living adjustments are separate from stimulus payments and continue regardless of stimulus status.
- If someone contacts you claiming you are owed a stimulus payment in 2024, it is a scam; Social Security does not contact people about unclaimed stimulus money.
What happened to stimulus payments in 2020 and 2021
Congress passed three stimulus bills during the COVID-19 pandemic, each authorizing one-time payments to individuals who met income and filing status requirements. The first two rounds (March 2020 and December 2020) sent $1,200 and $600 per person. The third round (March 2021) sent $1,400 per person. SSDI recipients were included in all three rounds if their income fell below the threshold for that round.
The IRS and Social Security coordinated to send these payments. If you received SSDI and had direct deposit set up, the payment went to your bank account within days of the authorization date. If you did not have direct deposit, you received a paper check or a prepaid debit card in the mail, which took longer. Some people had to claim the payment on their tax return if they did not receive it automatically.
These payments were taxed differently depending on your income and filing status. Most SSDI recipients did not owe federal income tax on the stimulus money itself, but the rules were complex enough that some people had to file a return to claim a credit or rebate. The IRS issued a tool called the "Non-Filer Sign-Up Tool" to help people without tax-filing obligations claim the payment.
Why there is no 2024 stimulus payment
Stimulus payments were authorized by Congress as emergency relief during a specific crisis. Once the pandemic emergency declarations ended and Congress did not pass new stimulus legislation, the payments stopped. There is no standing program that automatically sends stimulus checks every year or every few years.
For a new stimulus payment to happen in 2024, Congress would have to pass a new law, fund it, and authorize the IRS and Social Security to distribute it. That has not occurred. Proposals for new stimulus or recurring payments are debated in Congress regularly, but debate is not the same as law, and no such law has passed.
If you see a headline or social media post claiming stimulus payments are coming in 2024, check the date of the article and the source. Many old articles from 2020 or 2021 still appear in search results and can be mistaken for current news.
How to tell if a stimulus claim is a scam
Scammers regularly impersonate Social Security, the IRS, or banks to trick people into giving up personal information or money. A common scam claims that stimulus money is waiting for you, but you have to verify your information or pay a fee to unlock it.
Social Security will never contact you by phone, email, or text to tell you about unclaimed stimulus money. If you are owed a payment, Social Security sends it automatically to the account or address on file. You do not have to call a number, click a link, or provide information to receive it.
If someone contacts you about stimulus money in 2024, do not respond, do not click any links, and do not provide your Social Security number, bank account, or password. Hang up, delete the message, or report it to the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov. If the contact came through your bank's app or website, report it to your bank directly.
What SSDI recipients do receive in 2024
While there is no stimulus payment, SSDI recipients receive regular monthly benefits and annual cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs). In 2024, Social Security issued a COLA increase of 3.2 percent, which means your monthly benefit increased by that percentage starting in January 2024. This is not a stimulus payment—it is an automatic adjustment tied to inflation.
You receive your SSDI payment the same way you always have: by direct deposit, check, or debit card, depending on how you set up your account. The payment arrives on a set schedule each month (usually the third of the month, or the second Wednesday if you receive it by check). This payment is separate from any stimulus program and is not affected by stimulus status.
If your benefit amount changed in January 2024 and you are unsure why, log into your my Social Security account at ssa.gov or call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 to confirm the COLA adjustment. Do not assume a change is an error without checking first.
If you missed a stimulus payment from 2020 or 2021
If you believe you were owed a stimulus payment in 2020 or 2021 but never received it, you may have been able to claim it on your 2020 or 2021 tax return using the Recovery Rebate Credit. That window has closed. The IRS no longer accepts amended returns for those years solely to claim a stimulus credit that was missed.
However, if you filed a return for 2020 or 2021 and did not claim the credit, and you still have an open statute of limitations (generally three years from the filing important date), you can file an amended return. You would need to work with a tax professional or contact the IRS directly. This is not a common scenario for SSDI recipients, since most received the payments automatically, but it is possible if your circumstances were unusual.
Do not contact Social Security about a missed stimulus payment from 2020 or 2021. Social Security's role in stimulus distribution ended when the payments were sent. Questions about unclaimed stimulus money belong to the IRS, not Social Security.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the government sending out stimulus checks in 2024?
No. Congress has not passed any stimulus legislation for 2024. The last stimulus payments were issued in 2021. If you see a post or ad claiming stimulus checks are coming, it is either outdated information from 2020–2021 or a scam.
Will SSDI recipients get a stimulus payment if Congress passes a new one?
If Congress passes new stimulus legislation in the future, SSDI recipients would likely be included, as they were in the three previous rounds. However, there is no such legislation pending or scheduled. You cannot plan around a hypothetical payment.
I got a call saying I have unclaimed stimulus money. Is it real?
No. This is a scam. Social Security and the IRS do not call people about unclaimed stimulus money. Hang up, do not provide any information, and report the call to the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
Why did my SSDI payment increase in 2024?
Social Security issued a 3.2 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) in January 2024. This is an automatic annual adjustment, not a stimulus payment. Your benefit increases by the same percentage as the COLA each year.
Can I get a refund if I already received a stimulus payment?
No. Stimulus payments were not loans and do not need to be repaid. If you received a payment you believe you were not owed, contact the IRS, not Social Security. The IRS can review your specific situation.