SSDI recipients automatically received the third stimulus check without having to take any action

If you were receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) in December 2020, you received the third stimulus payment automatically. The IRS and Social Security matched their records, and the payment went to the bank account or address on file with Social Security. You did not need to file a tax return, contact anyone, or fill out a form to get it.

The third stimulus check was part of the American Rescue Plan Act, passed in March 2021. The payment amount was $1,400 per person. Payments began going out in mid-March 2021 and continued through the summer for people whose information required additional verification.

Because SSDI recipients are already in the Social Security system, the government had current address and banking information for most people. This made the third round faster and more automatic than the first two stimulus checks, where some SSDI recipients had to take extra steps.

Key Takeaways

  • SSDI recipients who were receiving benefits in December 2020 received $1,400 automatically with no action required.
  • Payments were sent to the bank account or mailing address Social Security had on file, starting in March 2021.
  • If you did not receive a payment you believe you were owed, you could claim it on your 2021 tax return as the Recovery Rebate Credit.
  • The third stimulus check was not counted as income and did not affect your SSDI benefits or SSI payments.

Who received the third stimulus check

You received the third stimulus check if you were receiving SSDI benefits in December 2020, regardless of your income level. Social Security automatically sent the payment to everyone on the SSDI rolls at that time. You did not have to meet any other conditions or prove anything to the government.

The payment went to your representative payee if you had one — meaning if someone else manages your benefits on your behalf, they received the check in your name. If you have a representative payee and did not receive the money directly, contact your payee to find out what happened to the payment.

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients also received the third stimulus check under the same rules. The two programs use the same Social Security database, so both groups were processed together.

How the payment was sent

Most SSDI recipients received the third stimulus check by direct deposit to the same bank account where Social Security deposits their monthly benefit. If Social Security had your bank information on file, the money arrived within days of the IRS releasing it in mid-March 2021.

If Social Security did not have your bank account information, the payment was mailed as a paper check to your address on file. Paper checks took longer — some arrived in April or May 2021, and a small number arrived even later if the address needed updating.

A few people received the payment on a debit card issued by the Treasury Department. This happened when Social Security's records showed no bank account and no current mailing address, so the government used an alternative delivery method.

What happened if you did not receive the payment

If you were receiving SSDI in December 2020 but did not get the third stimulus check, the most common reason was an outdated address or bank account information in Social Security's system. You could have claimed the missing payment on your 2021 tax return by filing Form 1040 and claiming the Recovery Rebate Credit.

To claim the credit, you needed to file a tax return even if you normally did not have to file one. The IRS had a tool on its website where you could check the status of your payment and see if it had been sent. If the tool showed the payment was sent but you never received it, you had the right to claim it as a credit.

Some people's payments were held or delayed because Social Security needed to verify their identity or current address. If this happened to you, Social Security would have sent you a letter explaining the delay. The payment eventually went through once the verification was complete.

The payment did not affect your SSDI or SSI benefits

The third stimulus check was not counted as income for SSDI purposes. Your monthly benefit amount did not change because you received the payment, and you did not have to report it to Social Security.

For SSI recipients, the stimulus check was treated as a one-time payment that did not count toward the monthly income limit. This was a special rule created by Congress specifically for the stimulus payments. If you were receiving SSI, the payment did not reduce your monthly SSI amount.

You also did not have to pay taxes on the stimulus check. It was not reported on your 1099 form or any other tax document, and you could not be taxed on it even if you filed a tax return.

Differences between the three stimulus checks

The first stimulus check, sent in spring 2020, required SSDI recipients to either file a tax return or use a non-filer tool to receive the payment. Many people missed this important date or did not know about it, so they had to claim the payment later on their taxes.

The second stimulus check, sent in December 2020, was also automatic for SSDI recipients, but some people still had to take action if their information was outdated. The third check was the most streamlined — Social Security had updated its records by then, so nearly all SSDI recipients received it without any steps on their part.

All three payments were the same in one way: they did not count as income and did not affect your benefits. The difference was only in how straightforward it was to receive them.

If you had a representative payee

If someone else manages your SSDI benefits as your representative payee, they received the third stimulus check in your name. The payment went to their bank account or address, not yours. Your payee is legally required to use the money for your current maintenance, needs, or best interests.

If you believe your payee did not use the stimulus money properly, you can contact Social Security and file a complaint. Social Security can investigate how your payee spent the money and take action if rules were broken. You can also ask Social Security to change your payee if you no longer trust them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get the third stimulus check now if I did not receive it in 2021?

If you were receiving SSDI in December 2020 but never got the payment, you could claim it on your 2021 tax return using the Recovery Rebate Credit. That important date has passed, but you may still be able to claim it by filing an amended return. Contact a tax professional or your local IRS office to learn about your options.

What if I was not receiving SSDI in December 2020 but started receiving it in 2021?

You did not receive the third stimulus check because the payment was based on who was receiving benefits in December 2020. If you started SSDI after that date, you were not included. You cannot go back and claim this payment now.

Did the stimulus check count as a resource for SSI?

No. The stimulus check did not count as a resource that would affect your SSI may be able to access. Congress made a special rule so that the payment would not reduce your benefits or cause you to lose coverage.

What if my payee spent the stimulus money and I need it now?

If your representative payee received the payment but spent it on something that was not for your benefit, you can report this to Social Security. Contact your local Social Security office and explain what happened. Social Security can investigate and may require your payee to repay the money or remove them as your payee.

Do I need to report the stimulus check on my taxes?

No. The stimulus check does not go on your tax return as income. You do not report it, and you are not taxed on it. If you file a return for other reasons, you do not need to mention the stimulus payment.