SSDI recipients received the third stimulus in the same payment schedule as other Social Security beneficiaries

If you were on SSDI when the third stimulus payment was issued in 2021, you received your payment automatically — you did not have to do anything. The IRS and Social Security coordinated to send payments to people already receiving benefits, using the same bank account or mailing address on file with Social Security. Most SSDI recipients got their payment between mid-March and mid-April 2021.

The payment itself was $1,400 per person for the third stimulus. If you had a spouse or children claimed as dependents on your tax return, they each received $1,400 as well. The money arrived as a direct deposit, check, or debit card, depending on how you normally receive your SSDI payment.

Because this happened in 2021, it is now in the past. This article explains how it worked so you understand the pattern if future stimulus payments are issued, and to answer questions about whether you should have received one.

Key Takeaways

  • The third stimulus payment of $1,400 per person was sent automatically to SSDI recipients between March and April 2021 using their existing Social Security payment method.
  • You did not need to file a tax return, submit a form, or contact Social Security to receive the payment — it was sent to everyone on SSDI unless they were claimed as a dependent on someone else's return.
  • If you did not receive a payment you believe you were owed, you could claim it on your 2021 tax return using IRS Form 1040 and the Recovery Rebate Credit.
  • The IRS used Social Security's records to identify who should receive the payment, so people with outdated banking information sometimes received a check or debit card instead of a direct deposit.

How the IRS identified SSDI recipients for the third stimulus

The IRS did not send stimulus payments based on tax returns for SSDI recipients. Instead, they used Social Security's records directly. If you were receiving SSDI in early 2021, the IRS already knew who you were and where to send the money.

Social Security automatically reported your information to the IRS, including your name, address, and the bank account or mailing address where your SSDI payment goes. The IRS used that information to send your stimulus payment the same way your regular SSDI payment arrives. If you get direct deposit, the stimulus went to that account. If you get a check, the stimulus came as a check.

This automatic process meant SSDI recipients did not have to register with the IRS, file a special form, or prove anything. The system worked because Social Security and the IRS shared data specifically for this purpose.

Why some SSDI recipients received checks instead of direct deposits

Some people on SSDI received the third stimulus as a paper check or debit card instead of a direct deposit, even though they normally get their SSDI payment by direct deposit. This usually happened when Social Security's banking information on file was outdated or incomplete.

If your address had changed and you did not update it with Social Security, the IRS mailed the check to the address they had. If your bank account information was old or the bank had closed the account, the IRS could not deposit the money and sent a check instead. In some cases, the IRS issued a debit card loaded with the stimulus funds.

If you received a check or debit card and it arrived damaged, lost, or never came at all, you could claim the missing payment on your 2021 tax return. The IRS Form 1040 included a line for the Recovery Rebate Credit, which let you report stimulus payments you did not receive and claim them as a refund.

What happened if you were claimed as a dependent

If someone else claimed you as a dependent on their 2020 or 2021 tax return, you did not receive a third stimulus payment. Instead, the person who claimed you received $1,400 for you. This rule applied even if you were an adult on SSDI — if your parent or guardian claimed you as a dependent, the payment went to them.

This created a problem for some people. If you were an adult on SSDI and your parent claimed you as a dependent without your knowledge, or if you disagreed with being claimed as a dependent, you had limited options. You could not receive the payment yourself, but you could file your own tax return claiming yourself as an independent and report the missing stimulus as a Recovery Rebate Credit. The IRS would then compare the two returns and make a information about who was may have access to to the money.

Timeline for when payments arrived

The IRS began sending the third stimulus payment on March 17, 2021. SSDI recipients who received direct deposit got their money first, with most deposits hitting bank accounts between March 17 and March 31, 2021. Paper checks began arriving in mid-April and continued through May and June for people in more distant areas or with address issues.

The IRS staggered the payments partly by payment method and partly by Social Security's processing capacity. Direct deposits were fastest because no mail handling was needed. Checks took longer because they had to be printed, sorted, and delivered by the Postal Service. Some people did not receive their check until summer 2021.

If you did not receive your payment by mid-May 2021, you could have checked the IRS "Get My Payment" tool on the IRS website, which showed the payment status and delivery method for each person. That tool is no longer active, but the information is now part of your tax history.

How to claim a missing third stimulus payment

If you did not receive the third stimulus payment and believe you were owed one, you claimed it on your 2021 tax return using IRS Form 1040. The form included Schedule 1, which had a line for the Recovery Rebate Credit. You reported the amount you should have received ($1,400 per person, plus $1,400 for each dependent), and the IRS compared that to what they actually sent.

If the IRS had no record of sending you a payment, or if they sent it to the wrong address and you never received it, the Recovery Rebate Credit let you claim the money as a refund. You had to file a 2021 tax return to do this, even if you normally did not file. The important date to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit was April 18, 2022, which has now passed.

If you missed that important date and still believe you are owed a stimulus payment, you can contact the IRS directly at 1-800-829-1040 to discuss your situation. They can review your account and determine whether a payment was sent and where it went. This process takes time, but it is the only way to resolve a missing payment now.

What this means for future stimulus payments

The third stimulus was the last federal stimulus payment issued during the COVID-19 pandemic. There is no current plan for another round of stimulus payments. However, if Congress does authorize future stimulus payments, the process for SSDI recipients would likely be the same: automatic payment using Social Security's records, no process needed, and the same payment methods as regular SSDI.

If you want to make sure you receive any future stimulus payment, keep your address and banking information current with Social Security. You can update your information by calling Social Security at 1-800-772-1213, visiting your local Social Security office, or using your my Social Security account online. Having current information ensures that any automatic payment reaches you without delay.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did I have to file a tax return to get the third stimulus if I was on SSDI?

No. SSDI recipients received the third stimulus automatically without filing a tax return. The IRS used Social Security's records to identify who should receive the payment and sent it to the address or bank account on file. You only needed to file a return if you did not receive the payment and wanted to claim it later.

What if I received the third stimulus but I think the amount was wrong?

The third stimulus was $1,400 per person. If you received less than that and you were not claimed as a dependent, you could have claimed the difference on your 2021 tax return using the Recovery Rebate Credit. If you missed that important date, contact the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 to review your account.

Can I still claim the third stimulus payment now if I missed the important date?

The important date to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit on your 2021 tax return was April 18, 2022. If you missed it, you cannot claim the payment through your tax return anymore. Your only option is to contact the IRS directly at 1-800-829-1040 to explain your situation and ask whether they can still process your claim.

If I was in prison when the third stimulus was sent, did I get the payment?

No. Federal law prohibited stimulus payments to people incarcerated in federal, state, or local prisons. If you were incarcerated when the third stimulus was sent and have since been released, you could have claimed the payment on your 2021 tax return using the Recovery Rebate Credit, but that important date has passed. Contact the IRS to discuss your specific situation.