There is no fourth stimulus check as of now

The federal government has not authorized a fourth stimulus payment. Three rounds of Economic Impact Payments were issued between March 2020 and January 2021 — one for $1,200, one for $600, and one for $1,400. No legislation has passed Congress to fund a fourth payment, and no announcement from the Treasury Department or Social Security Administration indicates one is planned.

SSDI recipients received the first three payments automatically if they were on the rolls when each payment was issued. The Social Security Administration did not require a separate process; the money went to the bank account or address on file with SSA. If you received SSDI during any of those three periods and did not receive a payment, the issue was usually a mismatch in SSA's records or a problem with your banking information — not a rule that excluded SSDI recipients.

Proposals for additional stimulus payments appear periodically in Congress, but none have advanced far enough to become law. If a fourth payment were authorized in the future, SSDI recipients would almost certainly be included in the same way as before.

Key Takeaways

  • Three stimulus payments were issued between March 2020 and January 2021; no fourth payment has been authorized by Congress.
  • SSDI recipients received all three previous payments automatically without filing a separate form or request.
  • If you did not receive one of the three payments you believe you were owed, you can still file a claim with the IRS using Form 1040-X or the IRS's online tool.
  • Proposals for future stimulus payments are introduced regularly but have not advanced to law since January 2021.

How the first three payments worked for SSDI recipients

The Social Security Administration pulled its own records to identify who was receiving SSDI, SSI, or Veterans benefits when each payment was authorized. Those recipients did not need to take any action. The Treasury Department sent the money to the bank account SSA had on file, or mailed a check to the address in the SSA system.

Because SSA's records are updated regularly, timing mattered. If you started receiving SSDI after a payment was issued, you did not receive that payment. If you were on the rolls when the payment was authorized but your address or bank account information was wrong, the payment might have gone to an old address or failed to deposit.

The IRS also set up a tool called "Get My Payment" where anyone could check the status of their payment and update their banking information if needed. That tool is no longer active, but the IRS kept records of who received what.

If you did not receive a payment you think you were owed

You can still claim a missing stimulus payment on your federal tax return. The IRS calls this the Recovery Rebate Credit. You file Form 1040-X (Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return) for the year in which the payment should have been issued, or you can claim it on your current-year return if you have not yet filed for that year.

To claim the credit, you will need to know the amount of each payment you did not receive. The first payment was $1,200 per person (plus $500 per child under 17). The second was $600 per person (plus $500 per child). The third was $1,400 per person (plus $1,400 per child). You do not need to prove you were on SSDI — the IRS will verify that against SSA records.

If you are not comfortable filing taxes yourself, a tax preparer or a free tax site like IRS Free File can help you claim the credit. The IRS does not charge a fee to file Form 1040-X, and there is no important date to claim a credit you are owed, though the longer you wait, the longer before you receive the refund.

Why proposals for a fourth payment have not become law

Several members of Congress have introduced bills to authorize additional stimulus payments, but none have passed both chambers. The main disagreement has been over whether more stimulus is needed, how much it should be, and whether it should target lower-income households or go to everyone.

Economic conditions, inflation, and the state of federal spending also affect whether lawmakers vote to approve new payments. Unlike the first three payments, which were passed during the acute phase of the pandemic, the political and economic case for further payments has been harder to make.

This does not mean a fourth payment will never happen, but it means you should not count on one. If Congress does authorize another round, news coverage will be widespread, and the Social Security Administration will announce how SSDI recipients will receive it.

How to stay informed about future stimulus payments

The most reliable source for news about stimulus payments is the official IRS website (irs.gov). The IRS posts announcements about any new payments there before anywhere else. You can also check the Social Security Administration's website (ssa.gov) for announcements about how SSDI recipients will receive payments if one is authorized.

Avoid relying on social media posts or emails claiming a payment is coming. Scammers often use false stimulus payment announcements to trick people into giving up personal information or money. The IRS and SSA will never ask you to pay a fee to receive a payment, and they will not contact you by email or text to ask for your bank account number.

If you see a post or email about a stimulus payment, check the official IRS or SSA website directly to confirm it is real before responding to any message.

What to do if you received a payment by mistake

If you received a stimulus payment that you believe was sent in error — for example, because you were not on SSDI when it was issued, or because it was sent to you twice — you do not need to return it when ready. The IRS will sort out overpayments when you file your next tax return.

When you file, the IRS will compare what you received to what you were owed. If you received more than you were may have access to to, the IRS will reduce your refund or add the overpayment to any taxes you owe. You will not face penalties or interest for receiving a payment by mistake, as long as you report it accurately on your return.

If you want to return the money voluntarily before filing your taxes, you can mail a check to the IRS, but this is not required and will not speed up the process.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get a fourth stimulus check if I am on SSDI?

No fourth stimulus check has been authorized. If Congress passes legislation for one in the future, SSDI recipients would be included in the same way as the first three payments — automatically, without filing a form. There is no way to request or "sign up" for a stimulus payment that has not been authorized.

What if I never received one of the first three payments?

You can claim it as a Recovery Rebate Credit on your federal tax return using Form 1040-X. You do not need to prove you were on SSDI; the IRS will verify that. A tax preparer or free tax site can help you file if you are unsure how to do it yourself.

Is there a important date to claim a missing stimulus payment?

There is no important date to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit. You can file Form 1040-X at any time. However, the longer you wait, the longer before you receive your refund. The IRS processes amended returns more slowly than original returns.

Will I get a fourth stimulus check if I sign up on a website?

No. Websites claiming to help you "register" for a stimulus payment or "check may be able to access" for one are either scams or misleading. The IRS and Social Security Administration do not require registration or sign-ups for stimulus payments. If a payment is authorized, you will receive it automatically.

What should I do if I see a post about a fourth stimulus check?

Check the official IRS website (irs.gov) or Social Security Administration website (ssa.gov) to confirm it is real. Scammers often use false stimulus announcements to steal personal information. The IRS and SSA will never ask you to pay a fee or give your bank account number in response to an email or text.