SSDI and the Third Stimulus Check: What Happened

The third stimulus payment—officially called the American Rescue Plan Economic Impact Payment—was distributed starting in March 2021. Most people who received SSDI got this payment automatically, without having to take any action. The payment was $1,400 per person for most recipients, though some people received less or nothing depending on their income and tax filing status.

If you received SSDI in 2020 or filed a 2020 tax return, the Social Security Administration and the IRS had your information on file. That meant you were already in the system, and the payment went out based on records they already held. You did not need to register, request it, or prove anything.

The third stimulus was the last federal economic impact payment issued during the pandemic. There have been no additional rounds since 2021, and no third stimulus check is being sent now.

Key Takeaways

  • The third stimulus payment of $1,400 per person was distributed between March and December 2021 to most SSDI recipients automatically.
  • SSDI recipients did not have to explore or register—the IRS and Social Security used existing records to send the money.
  • If you did not receive a third stimulus payment by the end of 2021, you may have been able to claim it on your 2021 tax return as the Recovery Rebate Credit.
  • No additional federal stimulus payments have been issued since 2021, and none are currently being sent.

Who Received the Third Payment and When

The IRS began sending third stimulus payments in mid-March 2021 and continued through December 2021. Most SSDI recipients received their payment between March and May 2021, though some arrived later depending on how the payment was sent.

If you received SSDI benefits in 2020, you were automatically included. The IRS did not require you to file a tax return or take any steps. The payment was sent to the bank account or address on file with Social Security, or deposited directly to the same account where your SSDI payments arrive.

People who did not receive SSDI until 2021, or who had no income in 2020 and did not file taxes, sometimes had to take extra steps. If you fell into that group and did not receive a payment, you could claim it later on your 2021 tax return.

If You Did Not Receive Your Third Payment

If you were receiving SSDI in 2020 but did not get a third stimulus payment by the end of 2021, the most common reason was an address or bank account mismatch. The IRS may have had outdated information, or mail may have been lost or returned.

The way to recover a missing third stimulus payment was through your 2021 tax return. You could claim the Recovery Rebate Credit on Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR. This credit let you claim the $1,400 (or the amount you were owed) when you filed your taxes for that year.

If you did not file a 2021 tax return because your income was too low, you could still file one just to claim this credit. The IRS had a tool called the "Get My Payment" portal that let you check the status of your payment and update your address or bank account information, though that portal is no longer active.

How the Third Payment Affected Your SSDI Benefits

The third stimulus payment did not reduce your SSDI benefits. Social Security treats economic impact payments as non-taxable, non-countable income, which means they do not affect your monthly benefit amount or your may be able to access for SSDI.

The payment also did not count toward the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) limit, which is the earnings threshold that can affect your benefits if you work. Because the stimulus was a one-time government payment and not earned income, it had no impact on your work incentives or your ability to earn money without losing benefits.

If you receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) in addition to or instead of SSDI, the third stimulus payment was also excluded from SSI income limits, so it did not reduce your SSI payments either.

Checking Your Payment Status Now

If you are trying to confirm whether you received a third stimulus payment, you can check your Social Security account online through my Social Security at ssa.gov. Log in and look at your payment history to see deposits that arrived in 2021.

You can also contact Social Security directly by calling 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) to ask whether a third stimulus payment was sent on your behalf. Have your Social Security number ready, and be prepared to describe the timeframe when you think it should have arrived.

If you believe you should have received a payment but did not, and you did not claim it on a 2021 tax return, you may still be able to file an amended return. The IRS can provide guidance on this, though the window for claiming the credit has passed for most people.

Why There Was No Fourth Stimulus Payment

Congress authorized three rounds of economic impact payments during the pandemic: the first in March 2020 ($1,200), the second in December 2020 ($600), and the third in March 2021 ($1,400). After the third payment, no additional stimulus payments were authorized by Congress.

Proposals for a fourth payment were made in 2021 and 2022, but they did not pass into law. The decision to end stimulus payments was based on economic conditions at the time and political disagreement over whether additional payments were necessary. SSDI recipients are not receiving any new federal stimulus payments as of now.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get a third stimulus payment now if I didn't receive one in 2021?

No new third stimulus payments are being sent. If you missed it in 2021, your only option was to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit on your 2021 tax return. If you did not file that return, you may still be able to file an amended return, but you should contact a tax professional or the IRS for guidance on whether you can still claim it.

Does the third stimulus payment count as income for SSI or SSDI purposes?

No. The third stimulus payment was excluded from income calculations for both SSDI and SSI. It did not reduce your benefits, affect your work incentives, or count toward any income limits. It was treated as non-countable income by Social Security.

What if my third stimulus payment went to the wrong bank account?

If the payment was deposited to an account you no longer have access to, you would have needed to report it to the IRS in 2021. The Get My Payment tool is no longer available, but you can contact the IRS directly or work with a tax professional to trace the payment and claim it on your 2021 return if you did not already.

Will there be another stimulus payment in the future?

There is no current plan for another federal stimulus payment. Any future payments would require Congress to pass new legislation. SSDI recipients would be notified through official Social Security channels if a new payment were authorized.