There was no fourth stimulus check for SSDI recipients

The federal government issued three rounds of stimulus payments during the COVID-19 pandemic: in 2020, 2021, and 2021. No fourth round was authorized by Congress. If you received SSDI in 2020 or 2021 and did not get all three payments, the issue was usually a processing error, a mismatch between your tax records and Social Security records, or a change in your address that caused mail to go astray.

The three payments that were issued are now closed for new claims. The IRS stopped accepting requests for missing payments in late 2021. If you believe you were may have access to to one or more of these payments and did not receive them, your only recourse is to contact the IRS directly or file a claim on your next tax return — not to wait for a fourth payment that will not come.

Key Takeaways

  • Congress authorized exactly three stimulus payment rounds: April 2020, December 2020, and March 2021.
  • SSDI recipients were included in all three rounds automatically if their records matched IRS and Social Security databases.
  • The IRS stopped processing requests for missing payments from the first three rounds in late 2021.
  • If you did not receive a payment you were may have access to to, you can report it to the IRS or claim it on your tax return, but there is no fourth payment coming.

Why SSDI recipients were included in the first three rounds

SSDI recipients did not have to file a tax return or take any action to receive stimulus payments. The IRS and Social Security Administration matched records automatically. If you were receiving SSDI benefits in the month the payment was issued, you were sent the money without having to do anything.

The first payment (April 2020) was $1,200 per adult. The second (December 2020) was $600 per adult. The third (March 2021) was $1,400 per adult. Dependents were included in all three rounds. The payments went to the bank account on file with Social Security, or by check or debit card if no account was on file.

What to do if you did not receive one of the three payments

Start by checking your Social Security account online at ssa.gov. Log in and look at your payment history to confirm you were receiving benefits in the month each stimulus was issued. If you were, but did not receive the money, the next step is to contact the IRS.

You can call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 (toll-free) and ask about your stimulus payment status. Have your Social Security number, date of birth, and mailing address ready. The IRS can tell you whether the payment was sent and where it went. If it was sent to an old address, you may be able to file a change of address form with the Postal Service to intercept it, though this is unlikely to work if the payment was issued more than two years ago.

If the IRS confirms the payment was issued but you never received it, you can claim it on your next federal tax return. You will file Form 1040 and claim the missing amount as a refundable credit. This process can take several months, and you will receive the money as a tax refund rather than as a direct payment.

Payments that went to the wrong account or were seized

If a stimulus payment was deposited to a bank account you no longer use, contact that bank directly. Banks are required to hold stimulus payments for a set period before returning them to the IRS. If the payment was returned, the IRS will have a record of it, and you can claim it on your tax return.

If your stimulus payment was seized by a creditor, a debt collection agency, or a state or federal agency to offset a debt you owe, that is a separate legal issue. The stimulus payments were supposed to be protected from seizure in most cases, but some debts — such as unpaid child support or federal student loans in default — had exceptions. If you believe your payment was wrongly seized, you can dispute it with the IRS or consult a legal aid organization in your state.

Why rumors of a fourth payment persist

After the third stimulus payment in March 2021, several members of Congress proposed a fourth round, but no bill was passed. Some proposals included larger payments or targeted payments to specific groups like SSDI recipients. None of these proposals became law. Social media posts and email scams sometimes claim a fourth payment is coming or that you can "unlock" a hidden payment — these are false.

If you see an advertisement or email claiming to help you get a fourth stimulus payment or recover a missing payment for a fee, do not respond. The IRS does not charge fees to help you claim stimulus payments, and no legitimate organization will ask you to pay to recover money owed to you by the government.

How to verify stimulus payment information yourself

The IRS has a tool called "Get My Payment" that was active during the stimulus payment period. This tool is no longer updated, but you can still use it to see the status of payments that were issued. Go to irs.gov and search for "Get My Payment." You will need your Social Security number, date of birth, and mailing address.

You can also create an account on irs.gov to view your tax records and see whether stimulus credits have been applied. This is the most reliable way to confirm whether you received all three payments and whether any were claimed on a previous tax return.

What to expect if you file a claim for a missing payment

If you claim a missing stimulus payment on your tax return, the IRS will review your records to confirm you were may have access to to it. This review can take several months. If the IRS approves your claim, the payment will be included in your tax refund. If you owe taxes, the IRS may explore the stimulus credit to what you owe before sending you a refund.

You do not need to hire a tax preparer or pay a fee to claim a missing stimulus payment. You can file your tax return yourself using free software through the IRS Free File program, or you can go to a local library or community center that offers free tax preparation help. If you have questions about how to claim the payment, you can call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Congress planning a fourth stimulus check?

As of now, no bill authorizing a fourth stimulus payment has been introduced in Congress. Proposals have been made in the past, but none have passed. You should not expect a fourth payment unless Congress passes a new law, which would be announced through official government channels and major news outlets.

Can I get my missing stimulus payment faster by calling Social Security?

No. Social Security does not handle stimulus payment claims. You must contact the IRS directly at 1-800-829-1040 or file a claim on your tax return. Social Security can confirm you were receiving benefits at the time of the payment, but they cannot issue or trace the payment itself.

What if I received a stimulus payment but I was not may have access to to it?

You do not have to repay it. The stimulus payments were not loans. Even if you received a payment in error, you are not required to return it. The IRS has not pursued recipients for overpayments.

Can I claim all three stimulus payments on one tax return if I missed them all?

Yes. When you file your tax return, you can claim any stimulus credits you did not receive. The IRS will review your records for all three payment periods and issue a refund for any you were may have access to to but did not get.

What should I do if I see an ad promising to help me get a fourth stimulus check?

Ignore it and do not click on it. These are scams. The government does not advertise stimulus payments through social media or email. If you need help claiming a missing payment, contact the IRS directly or use free tax preparation services in your community.