SSDI recipients received the third stimulus check on the same schedule as other Americans

If you were receiving SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance) in 2021, you got the third stimulus payment automatically — you did not have to do anything. The payment was based on your 2020 tax return or, if you had not filed taxes, on your Social Security records. The IRS and Social Security coordinated to send payments starting in March 2021, with most reaching bank accounts or arriving by mail within a few weeks.

The third stimulus was $1,400 per person. If you were married and both spouses received SSDI, you each got $1,400. Children under 17 in your household also received $1,400 each if you claimed them as dependents on your taxes.

Because SSDI is a federal benefit, Social Security had your address and banking information on file. That meant payments went out faster for SSDI recipients than for people who had to file taxes or register with the IRS separately.

Key Takeaways

  • SSDI recipients received the third stimulus payment automatically between March and May 2021 with no action required.
  • The payment amount was $1,400 per person, plus $1,400 for each dependent child under 17.
  • Social Security used your existing records to send the payment, so you did not need to file taxes or register with the IRS.
  • If you did not receive a payment by June 2021, you could check the IRS "Get My Payment" tool or contact Social Security to trace it.

How Social Security sent the third stimulus to SSDI recipients

Social Security matched its records against IRS tax data to identify who should receive the payment. If you were on SSDI in 2020 or early 2021, Social Security reported you to the IRS as a payment recipient. The IRS then instructed the Treasury Department to send your $1,400.

The payment method depended on how you normally receive your SSDI check. If your SSDI went into a bank account by direct deposit, your stimulus went to the same account. If you received a paper check from Social Security, the stimulus arrived as a paper check in the mail. If you used a Direct Express card (a debit card Social Security provides), the stimulus loaded onto that card.

This automatic process meant SSDI recipients did not face the delays that people who had to file taxes or register online sometimes experienced. Social Security had already verified your identity and address.

What happened if you did not receive the payment

If you were receiving SSDI but did not get your $1,400 by mid-June 2021, the payment may have been sent to an old address, returned by the post office, or held up in processing. The first step was to check the IRS "Get My Payment" tool at irs.gov. This tool showed whether the IRS had sent your payment, where it went, and the date it was sent.

If the tool showed the payment was sent but you never received it, you had a few options. If it was mailed as a paper check, you could wait a few more weeks — mail sometimes took longer than expected. If it was supposed to go to your bank account but did not appear, you could contact your bank to ask if the deposit was rejected or delayed.

If the IRS tool showed no payment had been sent, or if you had moved since 2020, you could file a 2020 tax return (even if you normally did not file) to claim the stimulus as a recovery rebate credit. This was a one-time credit on your taxes that gave you the $1,400 you missed.

SSDI and stimulus payments did not affect your monthly benefit

The third stimulus check did not reduce your SSDI payment in any month. Stimulus payments were one-time federal transfers and did not count as income for SSDI purposes. Your monthly SSDI amount stayed the same whether you received the stimulus or not.

This was different from other types of income. For example, if you earned money from work, that could affect your SSDI payment. But stimulus checks — all three of them — were excluded from SSDI income rules.

Dependent children and the third stimulus

If you had children under 17 who lived with you and you claimed them as dependents on your taxes, each child received $1,400. The payment went to you as the parent or guardian, not to the child directly.

Social Security and the IRS used your most recent tax return to count your dependents. If you had a new child in 2021 or had not filed taxes in several years, the IRS might not have known about the child. In that case, you could file a 2020 tax return to claim the child as a dependent and receive the $1,400 retroactively.

If your address or banking information changed

If you moved between 2020 and March 2021, the stimulus check may have been mailed to your old address. The post office could not forward it because stimulus checks were not may be able to access for forwarding. If this happened, you could file a 2020 tax return and claim the stimulus as a recovery rebate credit to receive the money on your tax refund.

If your bank account closed or changed, a direct deposit payment might have been rejected. The IRS would then have mailed a paper check to the address on file. Checking the IRS "Get My Payment" tool showed you which method was used and where the payment was sent.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did I have to do anything to get the third stimulus if I was on SSDI?

No. Social Security automatically sent the payment to all SSDI recipients. You did not need to file taxes, register online, or contact anyone. The payment went out between March and May 2021 using your existing Social Security records.

What if I was on SSDI but also worked and filed taxes?

You still received the payment automatically. Social Security and the IRS coordinated, so you were not sent the stimulus twice. The payment went out based on whichever record showed you were a U.S. resident and had a valid Social Security number.

Can I still get the third stimulus if I missed it in 2021?

Yes, but only by filing a 2020 tax return and claiming it as a recovery rebate credit. You would receive the $1,400 (or the amount you were owed) as part of your tax refund. The important date to claim it was April 15, 2022, but the IRS may still process late claims.

Did the stimulus payment count as income for my SSDI?

No. Stimulus payments were excluded from SSDI income rules. Your monthly SSDI benefit did not change because you received the $1,400 payment.

What if I was on SSDI but received my benefits through a different program like SSI?

SSI (Supplemental Security Income) recipients also received the third stimulus automatically. The payment rules were the same: $1,400 per person, sent automatically, and not counted as income for benefit purposes.