Who received the third stimulus check

The third stimulus check, sent in 2021, went to most people who filed a 2020 tax return showing income below $75,000 (or $150,000 for married couples filing jointly). Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) recipients were included if they met the income threshold, because the payment was based on tax filing status, not on receiving any particular benefit.

The payment was $1,400 per person. If you received SSDI in 2020 and filed taxes that year, you were likely sent a check automatically. If you did not file taxes, you had to take a separate step to claim it.

The key point: SSDI status alone did not determine who got the check. Your 2020 income did. Most SSDI recipients have income low enough to may have access to, but not all.

Key Takeaways

  • The third stimulus check went to people whose 2020 income was below $75,000 (single) or $150,000 (married filing jointly), regardless of whether they received SSDI.
  • If you filed a 2020 tax return, the IRS sent the payment automatically; if you did not file, you had to claim it separately.
  • SSDI income counts toward the income limit, so some SSDI recipients earned too much to receive the full payment.
  • You can still claim a third stimulus check you did not receive by filing a 2021 tax return with the Recovery Rebate Credit.

How SSDI income affected the payment amount

Your SSDI payment counted as income for the stimulus check calculation. If your total 2020 income—including SSDI, wages, and any other sources—exceeded $75,000 (or $150,000 for married couples), your payment was reduced or eliminated.

For every dollar over the threshold, the payment decreased by five cents. So if you earned $76,000 as a single filer, you would have received $1,350 instead of $1,400. If you earned $95,000 or more, you received nothing.

Most SSDI recipients have income well below these thresholds, so most received the full $1,400. But if you also worked, received other benefits, or had investment income, your total might have pushed you over the limit.

If you did not file taxes in 2020

The IRS did not automatically send a check to people who did not file a 2020 tax return. If you were not required to file (because your income was too low) and did not file anyway, you had to claim the payment yourself.

You could claim it by filing a 2021 tax return, even if you had no tax owed. On that return, you would use Form 1040 and claim the Recovery Rebate Credit. The IRS would then send you the payment you missed, as long as your 2020 income still may have access to.

If you did not file a 2021 return either, you can still file now and claim the credit. There is no important date to claim it, though the sooner you file, the sooner you receive the money.

Checking whether you received your payment

If you think you should have received a third stimulus check but did not, you can check the IRS website using the "Get My Payment" tool. You will need your Social Security number, date of birth, and mailing address. The tool tells you whether a payment was sent and where it went.

If the IRS shows a payment was mailed but you never received it, you can file a claim for a missing check. If the tool shows no payment was sent, you likely did not meet the income threshold, or the IRS did not have your address on file.

Keep in mind that the IRS mailed checks in batches over several months in 2021. If you moved between when the check was sent and when you looked for it, it may have gone to an old address.

Claiming a third stimulus check you missed

If you did not receive a third stimulus check and believe you should have, file a 2021 tax return (or amend a 2021 return you already filed) and claim the Recovery Rebate Credit. The credit is worth up to $1,400 per person, minus any payment the IRS already sent you.

You will need to report your 2020 income on the return. If your 2020 income was below $75,000 (single) or $150,000 (married), you should receive the full amount you missed. The IRS will send it as a refund, either by check or direct deposit if you provided banking information.

If you have never filed a tax return and are unsure how to start, the IRS offers free tax preparation help through VITA (Volunteer Income Tax information) sites in most communities. You can find a site near you on the IRS website.

What happened to people who earned too much

If your 2020 income was above the threshold, you did not receive a stimulus check, even if you received SSDI. The income limits were firm: $75,000 for single filers, $112,500 for heads of household, and $150,000 for married couples filing jointly.

There was no exception for people on disability or any other circumstance. If you earned above the limit, you were not sent a payment and cannot claim it later, even if your income dropped in 2021 or 2022.

The third stimulus was the last federal payment of its kind. No fourth check was sent, and there are no plans to send another.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get a third stimulus check if I did not file taxes because my SSDI income was too low?

Yes. File a 2021 tax return (or a current-year return if you have not yet) and claim the Recovery Rebate Credit. You do not owe taxes on low SSDI income, but filing lets you claim the stimulus payment you missed. The IRS will send it as a refund.

Does receiving SSDI automatically disqualify me from the third stimulus check?

No. SSDI status had nothing to do with it. Only your total 2020 income mattered. If your SSDI payment plus any other income was below $75,000 (single) or $150,000 (married), you received the check.

What if the IRS sent my third stimulus check to an old address and I never got it?

File a claim with the IRS for a missing check. You can do this by filing a 2021 tax return and claiming the Recovery Rebate Credit. The IRS will investigate and send a replacement if they confirm the original was mailed to an address you no longer use.

I earned too much in 2020 to get the third check. Can I claim it now that my income is lower?

No. The stimulus payment was based on 2020 income only. If you earned above the threshold that year, you did not receive a check and cannot claim one now, even if your circumstances have changed.

Where do I find the Recovery Rebate Credit on my tax return?

The Recovery Rebate Credit is claimed on Form 1040, Schedule 3. If you use tax software, it will walk you through the questions about whether you received each stimulus payment. If you file by hand or with help, your tax preparer will know where to enter it.