No Fourth Stimulus Check Was Issued to SSDI Recipients

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. SSDI recipients received all three if they met the income limits. No fourth payment was authorized by Congress, and no fourth payment was distributed.

The confusion around a "fourth check" comes from several sources. Some people conflate stimulus payments with other federal programs—like the expanded Child Tax Credit, which ran for six months in 2021, or ongoing state-level information programs. Others saw social media posts or scam websites claiming a fourth check was coming. Neither is accurate. If you received a payment after mid-2021 labeled as a stimulus check, it came from a different program.

SSDI recipients who did not receive one or more of the three stimulus checks may still be able to claim the missing payment on a tax return, but only if they were not required to file and did not file in the year the payment was issued. This process has a important date that has now passed for the first two payments.

Key Takeaways

  • Congress authorized exactly three stimulus payments: March 2020, January 2021, and July 2021; no fourth payment was ever created.
  • SSDI recipients were included in all three rounds if their income fell below the threshold ($75,000 for single filers in most cases).
  • If you missed a stimulus check and did not file taxes that year, you may have been able to claim it as a recovery rebate credit, but the important date has passed for the first two payments.
  • Posts or websites advertising a fourth stimulus check are either outdated, misleading, or scams designed to collect personal information.

The Three Stimulus Payments That Were Actually Issued

The first stimulus check, authorized under the CARES Act in March 2020, sent $1,200 to most adults and $500 per child. SSDI recipients received this payment automatically if they had filed a tax return in 2018 or 2019, or if they received SSI or Veterans benefits. The IRS used existing records to identify who may have access to.

The second payment came in January 2021 under the Consolidated Appropriations Act. This check was $600 per adult and $600 per child. The income threshold was the same: $75,000 for single filers, $150,000 for married couples filing jointly. SSDI recipients again received this automatically if they met the income limit.

The third and final stimulus check arrived in July 2021 under the American Rescue Plan. This payment was $1,400 per adult and $1,400 per child. Income thresholds were identical to the second round. This was the last stimulus payment Congress authorized. No legislation has proposed or funded a fourth payment since.

Why People Search for a Fourth Check

Social media posts claiming a fourth stimulus check is "coming soon" or "pending approval" circulate regularly, especially around tax season and during economic downturns. These posts are either recycled from 2021 or deliberately misleading. Some direct people to websites that ask for Social Security numbers, bank account details, or payment information—classic signs of a scam.

Another source of confusion is state-level information. Some states ran their own pandemic relief programs separate from federal stimulus checks. California, Colorado, and a few others sent additional payments to residents in 2021 and 2022. If you received a payment from your state during this period, it was not a federal stimulus check.

The expanded Child Tax Credit, which ran from July to December 2021, also created confusion. Families with children under 17 received monthly payments of up to $300 per child. This was not a stimulus check—it was an advance on a tax credit—and it ended in December 2021.

What to Do If You Missed a Stimulus Payment

If you did not receive one or more of the three stimulus checks and you were not required to file a tax return that year, you may have been able to claim the missing payment as a recovery rebate credit on your return. However, the important date to claim the first stimulus check (2020 payment) has passed. You can no longer file an amended return for that year.

For the second stimulus check (January 2021), the important date to claim it on a 2020 tax return has also passed. For the third stimulus check (July 2021), you could claim it on your 2021 return, but that important date has now closed as well.

If you believe you should have received a stimulus check and did not, you can contact the IRS directly. Call 1-800-829-1040 (the main IRS line) and ask about your stimulus payment status. Have your Social Security number and tax return information ready. The IRS can tell you whether a payment was issued and where it was sent, but they cannot reissue a payment if the important date to claim it has passed.

How to Spot Stimulus Check Scams

Legitimate stimulus payments came directly from the U.S. Treasury or were deposited into your bank account automatically. You never had to explore, pay a fee, or provide personal information to receive one. If a website, email, or social media post asks you to do any of these things to "get" a stimulus check, it is a scam.

Red flags include: requests for your Social Security number, bank account number, or PIN; claims that you must act when ready or the money will be lost; websites that mimic the IRS or Treasury Department but have slightly different URLs; and promises of a check amount larger than the actual payments ($1,200, $600, or $1,400). The real IRS will never contact you first about a stimulus payment.

If you encounter a scam website or email, report it to the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov. Do not click links or read attachments from unsolicited emails claiming to be from the IRS or Treasury.

Other Federal Payments SSDI Recipients May Receive

While there is no fourth stimulus check, SSDI recipients may be receiving other federal payments that could be confused with stimulus checks. The most common is the annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), which increases your monthly SSDI benefit each January. This is not a one-time payment—it is a permanent increase to your ongoing benefit amount.

Some SSDI recipients also received back pay or retroactive benefits if their case was approved or reopened. This is not a stimulus payment; it is owed benefit money from months or years when they were disabled but had not yet been approved. Back pay is issued as a lump sum but is specific to your case.

If you received a notice from Social Security about a payment you did not expect, read the notice carefully or call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 to ask what the payment was for. Do not assume it is a stimulus check.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there any chance a fourth stimulus check will be issued in the future?

Congress would have to pass new legislation to authorize and fund a fourth stimulus payment. As of now, no such bill has been introduced or passed. While economic conditions could change, there is no current plan for another round of stimulus checks. Be cautious of posts claiming one is "coming soon"—these are typically scams or outdated information.

What if I received a fourth payment labeled as a stimulus check?

You did not receive a federal stimulus check, because none was issued. The payment came from a different source: a state program, a tax refund, a benefit increase, or a scam. Check your bank statement or the notice Social Security sent you to identify what the payment actually was. If you are unsure, contact Social Security or your state's benefits office.

Can I claim a stimulus check I never received on my taxes now?

The important date to claim the first and second stimulus checks on amended returns has passed. For the third stimulus check (2021), the important date has also closed. You cannot claim these payments retroactively after the filing important date. If you believe you were owed a payment, contact the IRS to verify whether it was issued.

How do I know if I actually received all three stimulus checks?

Check your bank statements or the account where you received direct deposits in March 2020, January 2021, and July 2021. You can also create an account on irs.gov and use the "Get My Payment" tool to see the status of each payment. If you received them by check, look for deposits or cashed checks from the U.S. Treasury during those months.

What should I do if a scammer has my information?

If you gave your Social Security number, bank account details, or other personal information to a scam website, contact your bank when ready and place a fraud alert with the three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion). You can also file a report with the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov. Monitor your credit report for unauthorized accounts.