SSDI stimulus payments follow the same schedule as regular Social Security payments, based on your birth date

If you receive SSDI, your stimulus check arrives on the same day as your regular monthly benefit — you do not get a separate payment or a different schedule. The Social Security Administration deposits both your regular benefit and any stimulus payment together into your bank account or onto your payment card.

Your regular SSDI payment date depends on when you were born. If your birthday falls between the 1st and 10th of the month, you get paid on the second Wednesday. If it falls between the 11th and 20th, you get paid on the third Wednesday. If it falls between the 21st and 31st, you get paid on the fourth Wednesday. A stimulus payment, when one is issued, arrives on that same day.

This means you cannot choose when to receive a stimulus — it comes when your regular payment comes. If you have never checked your payment date, you can find it on your Social Security statement, in your my Social Security account online, or by calling Social Security at 1-800-772-1213.

Key Takeaways

  • Your stimulus payment arrives on the same day as your regular SSDI benefit, which is determined by your birth date.
  • Social Security deposits both your regular payment and any stimulus into the same account or payment card you use now.
  • You do not need to do anything to receive a stimulus payment — Social Security sends it automatically if you are on SSDI.
  • If you have not received a stimulus that was issued to SSDI recipients, you can check your payment history in my Social Security or contact Social Security directly.

How to find your regular payment date

Your payment date is fixed and does not change month to month. You can look it up in three ways. The fastest is to log into my Social Security at ssa.gov — once you are signed in, your payment date appears on your dashboard under "Payment Information." You do not need a password if you use a verified ID.me account.

If you prefer not to use the website, call Social Security's main line at 1-800-772-1213 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. on weekdays. Have your Social Security number ready. A representative can tell you your payment date in about a minute.

You can also check a paper statement if Social Security has sent you one recently — your payment date is listed there. If you have not received a statement in the mail and do not want to call, you can create a my Social Security account and view your statement online.

What happens if your bank account or card information changed

Stimulus payments go to the same account or card where your regular SSDI payment goes. If you changed banks or got a new card after your last regular payment, the stimulus might go to an old account that is now closed.

If this happens, the bank will reject the deposit and Social Security will try again. The process can take several weeks. To avoid this, update your payment information with Social Security before a stimulus is issued. You can change your bank account or card details in my Social Security online, or call 1-800-772-1213 to update it by phone.

If you think a stimulus was sent to a closed account, contact your old bank first — they can tell you whether the deposit arrived and was returned. Then contact Social Security to confirm they have your current account information on file.

Tracking a stimulus payment you think you should have received

If you know a stimulus payment was issued to SSDI recipients and you have not seen it in your account, start by checking your bank or card statement for the exact date it should have arrived. Deposits sometimes take one or two business days to show up, even though Social Security sends them on your regular payment date.

Log into my Social Security and look at your payment history. It will show every deposit Social Security has made to you, including stimulus payments. If the stimulus appears there but not in your bank account, contact your bank — the deposit may be held or delayed on their end.

If the stimulus does not appear in your Social Security payment history, contact Social Security at 1-800-772-1213. Have your Social Security number and the date you expected to receive the payment. Social Security can look up whether a stimulus was issued in your name and where it was sent.

Why some SSDI recipients did not receive certain stimulus payments

Not every round of stimulus payments included SSDI recipients. During the COVID-19 pandemic, some stimulus payments went only to people who filed tax returns or received certain other benefits. SSDI recipients were included in some rounds but not others, depending on how Congress wrote the law for that particular payment.

If you did not receive a stimulus that was issued to other SSDI recipients, it may be because you did not meet the income or other requirements for that specific round. Some stimulus payments had income limits, and some excluded people who were claimed as dependents on someone else's tax return.

You can check the IRS website or Social Security's website to see which stimulus rounds included SSDI recipients and what the requirements were. If you believe you should have received a payment and did not, the IRS has a tool called the "Get My Payment" portal where you can check the status of past stimulus payments.

If you receive SSDI through a representative payee

If someone else manages your SSDI benefits as your representative payee, stimulus payments go to that person's account, not yours. The representative payee is responsible for using the money for your needs and keeping records of how it was spent.

If you are a representative payee and received a stimulus payment for someone you manage benefits for, Social Security may ask you to account for how that money was used. Keep receipts and records showing what the payment was spent on.

If you are a beneficiary and want to know whether your representative payee received your stimulus, you can ask them directly or contact Social Security to confirm the payment was sent.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get my stimulus payment faster if I call Social Security?

No. Stimulus payments are sent automatically on your regular payment date — calling does not speed it up. If you have not received a stimulus that was issued, Social Security can tell you where it was sent and help you track it down, but they cannot issue it early or send it a different way.

What if I was in prison when the stimulus was issued?

SSDI recipients who are incarcerated do not receive stimulus payments. If you were released after a stimulus was issued, you may be able to claim it on your tax return or through the IRS, depending on the rules for that particular payment. Contact the IRS or a tax professional for details.

Do I have to pay taxes on a stimulus payment?

No. Stimulus payments are not taxable income, and you do not report them on your tax return. They do not count toward your SSDI income limits either, so receiving a stimulus does not affect your benefits.

What if my stimulus went to the wrong person's account?

Contact Social Security when ready at 1-800-772-1213 with your Social Security number and the date you expected payment. Social Security can investigate where the payment went and may be able to reissue it to the correct account. This process can take several weeks.

Do I need to do anything to receive a stimulus if I am on SSDI?

No. If you are receiving SSDI and a stimulus payment is issued, Social Security sends it automatically. You do not need to explore, register, or contact anyone. The payment arrives on your regular payment date.