SSDI and the Fourth Stimulus Check

There is no fourth stimulus check. The federal government issued three rounds of Economic Impact Payments during the COVID-19 pandemic: one in 2020, one in early 2021, and one in mid-2021. No fourth payment has been authorized by Congress, and no announcement has been made about one coming.

SSDI recipients who were living in the United States during those three payment periods received the first three checks automatically if they had filed a tax return or were already receiving Social Security benefits. The Social Security Administration sent the payments directly to the bank account or address on file, with no separate process needed.

If you received SSDI during 2020 and 2021 but did not receive all three payments, the issue was usually a mismatch between your address on file and where the check was mailed, or a delay in the Social Security Administration's records being updated. That situation has now passed, and those payments cannot be reissued.

Key Takeaways

  • Only three stimulus checks were issued by the federal government, in 2020 and 2021; no fourth check has been authorized.
  • SSDI recipients received the first three payments automatically if they were on the SSDI rolls when each payment was issued.
  • If you missed a payment at the time, you cannot receive it now; those payment periods have closed.
  • Scams claiming to offer a fourth stimulus check or to help you "recover" missed payments are common and should be reported to the Federal Trade Commission.

Why Only Three Payments Were Made

Each stimulus check required a separate act of Congress. The first check ($1,200 per person) was authorized in March 2020 under the CARES Act. The second check ($600 per person) was authorized in December 2020. The third check ($1,400 per person) was authorized in March 2021 under the American Rescue Plan.

After March 2021, Congress did not pass legislation authorizing additional stimulus payments. While some members of Congress have proposed bills for a fourth or fifth payment, none have been enacted into law. Proposals circulate periodically on social media, but these are not the same as actual payments.

How SSDI Recipients Received the First Three Checks

If you were receiving SSDI when each payment was issued, the Social Security Administration automatically sent you the money. You did not have to file a tax return, call anyone, or take any action. The payment went to the bank account or mailing address associated with your Social Security record.

The three payments were issued on different schedules. The first check began going out in April 2020. The second began in late December 2020 and continued into January 2021. The third began in March 2021 and continued through the summer. If your address changed between payments, you may have missed one or more checks.

What to Do If You Did Not Receive a Payment

If you were on SSDI during 2020 or 2021 but did not receive one of the three stimulus checks, you had a limited window to claim it. The important date to report a missing payment and request a trace was in 2021. That important date has now passed, and the Social Security Administration is no longer processing new requests for those payments.

If you believe you were may have access to to a payment and did not receive it, you can contact the Social Security Administration at 1-800-772-1213 to ask about your specific situation. They can tell you whether a payment was issued and where it was sent, but they cannot reissue a check from a closed payment period.

Scams About Stimulus Checks and SSDI

Scammers frequently target SSDI recipients with false claims about unclaimed stimulus money. Common scams include emails or text messages saying you are owed a fourth check, phone calls offering to help you "recover" missed payments in exchange for a fee, and websites claiming to verify your status for a payment that does not exist.

The Social Security Administration will never contact you first by email or text to offer money. They will not ask for your Social Security number, bank account details, or a fee. If you receive such a message, do not respond or click any links. Report it to the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov.

Other Financial Support for SSDI Recipients

While there is no fourth stimulus check, SSDI recipients may be may be able to access for other forms of financial support depending on their income and living situation. These include Supplemental Security Income (SSI), food information through SNAP, housing support, and utility information programs. may be able to access varies by state and by your specific circumstances.

To learn what programs may be available in your area, you can contact your local Social Security office, call 2-1-1 (a free referral line), or visit your state's human services website. These resources can point you toward programs you may not have known about.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Congress planning a fourth stimulus check?

Some members of Congress have proposed bills for additional stimulus payments, but no bill has been passed into law. Proposals appear periodically, especially during economic downturns, but they remain proposals unless Congress votes to enact them. You can check Congress.gov to see the current status of any proposed legislation.

Can I get back pay for stimulus checks I missed?

The payment periods for all three stimulus checks have closed. The Social Security Administration stopped processing new requests for missing payments in 2021. If you did not receive a check when it was issued, you cannot claim it now. Your only option is to contact Social Security to confirm whether a payment was sent and where.

What if I moved and never got a check?

If you moved between 2020 and 2021 and did not update your address with Social Security, a check may have been mailed to your old address. You could have filed a claim with the Social Security Administration during the payment period, but that window has closed. Contact Social Security now to confirm what happened, though they cannot reissue the payment.

Are there other payments SSDI recipients should know about?

SSDI recipients receive their regular monthly benefit payment from Social Security. Some states also offer additional payments or supplements for people with disabilities. You can ask your local Social Security office or call 1-800-772-1213 to learn whether you may be may be able to access for any other programs in your state.

How do I report a scam about stimulus checks?

Report scams to the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov or by calling 1-877-438-4338. If the scam involved a phone call, text, or email, include as much detail as you can about how they contacted you. You can also report it to your state's attorney general office.