SSDI and stimulus checks: what the timing depends on

There is no fourth stimulus check. The federal government issued three rounds of Economic Impact Payments during the COVID-19 pandemic: the first in spring 2020, the second in winter 2020–2021, and the third in spring 2021. No fourth payment has been authorized by Congress, and no date for one has been set.

If you received SSDI during those three rounds, you got a check unless you were claimed as a dependent on someone else's tax return. If you are still waiting for one of those three payments, or if you received one but it was incorrect, the steps to track it or request a replacement are different depending on which round you are looking for and when you filed your taxes.

If you are looking for information about a payment you believe you should have received in 2020 or 2021, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) still processes claims. The process depends on which payment round and whether you filed a tax return that year.

Key Takeaways

  • Only three stimulus payment rounds were issued by the federal government, all between spring 2020 and spring 2021; no fourth round has been authorized.
  • SSDI recipients received the first, second, and third payments automatically if they were not claimed as dependents, with no separate process required.
  • If you did not receive a payment you believe you were owed, the IRS can still process a claim, but the method depends on which round and whether you filed taxes that year.
  • Payments were deposited to the bank account on file with Social Security, mailed as a check, or issued as a debit card, depending on the round and your account setup.

How SSDI recipients received the three stimulus payments

Social Security automatically sent the first payment (issued March through May 2020) to SSDI beneficiaries using the same method they use for monthly benefits: direct deposit to a bank account, a check by mail, or a debit card issued by the Treasury Department. You did not have to do anything to receive it. The second payment (issued December 2020 through January 2021) and third payment (issued March through December 2021) followed the same process.

The only SSDI recipients who did not receive a payment were those claimed as dependents on another person's tax return. If someone else claimed you as a dependent in 2019 or 2020, you were not sent a payment in the first or second round. For the third round, the IRS used 2020 tax returns if you filed one; if not, they used 2019 data. If you were claimed as a dependent in both years, you did not receive the third payment either.

Payments ranged from $1,200 (first round) to $1,400 (third round), with additional amounts for children in households. SSDI recipients received the adult amount only, since the payments were based on tax returns or Social Security records, not household composition.

If you did not receive a first or second stimulus payment

If you were an SSDI recipient in 2020 and did not receive the first or second payment, the IRS can still issue it. You must file a tax return for 2020 that includes the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC), even if you owe no tax and earned no income. This return must be filed on paper, not electronically, and sent to the IRS address for your state.

The form is the 1040 (U.S. Individual Income Tax Return). On the form, you will report your SSDI income and claim the EITC if your income is low enough. When you file, the IRS will calculate any missing stimulus payments and issue them as a refund or credit against any tax you owe. This process can take several months after the IRS receives your return.

If you already filed a 2020 tax return and did not receive a payment, contact the IRS directly at 1-800-829-1040 to report the missing payment. Have your Social Security number and the date you filed ready. The IRS can research your account and reissue the payment if records show you were owed one.

If you did not receive the third stimulus payment

The third payment (issued in 2021) was based on 2020 tax returns if you filed one, or 2019 returns if you did not file in 2020. If you did not file either year and did not receive the payment, you can still claim it by filing a 2021 tax return that includes the Recovery Rebate Credit.

The Recovery Rebate Credit is a line on the 1040 form that lets you claim any stimulus payments you did not receive. You report the payment amounts you were owed (the IRS will have records of the first two rounds if you received those), and the credit reduces your tax liability or increases your refund. Like the earlier process, this return should be filed on paper and sent to the IRS.

If you filed a 2020 or 2021 return and still did not receive the third payment, the IRS may have had an address or account issue. Call 1-800-829-1040 with your Social Security number and the last four digits of any bank account you have on file with Social Security. The IRS can verify whether a payment was sent and to where.

What to do if you received a payment but it was the wrong amount

If you received a stimulus payment but the amount was incorrect—for example, you received $1,200 when you should have received $1,400—the IRS can correct it. The correction is made when you file your next tax return by claiming the Recovery Rebate Credit for the difference.

On your 1040 form, you will report the amounts you actually received and the amounts you were owed. The IRS will calculate the difference and issue it as a refund or credit. If the error was large or you need the money sooner, you can also call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 to report the discrepancy, though the phone line may have long wait times.

Tracking a payment you believe you received

If you think you received a stimulus payment but cannot find the check or debit card, or you are unsure whether a deposit to your bank account was the stimulus or a regular benefit payment, the IRS has a tool called "Get My Payment" that shows the status and method of delivery for each round.

Go to irs.gov and search for "Get My Payment." You will need your Social Security number, date of birth, and street address. The tool will show you the date each payment was issued, the method (direct deposit, check, or debit card), and the amount. If it shows a payment was issued but you never received it, note the date and method, then contact the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 with that information.

For debit cards issued in the first round, the card may have expired or been closed if you did not use it. The IRS can reissue the balance to a bank account or as a check if you provide proof you never accessed the funds.

Why no fourth stimulus payment has been issued

Congress authorized three rounds of stimulus payments as emergency relief during the COVID-19 pandemic. After the third round in 2021, no additional stimulus payments were authorized. Proposals for a fourth payment have been introduced in Congress but have not passed both chambers and been signed into law.

If a fourth stimulus payment is authorized in the future, SSDI recipients would receive it the same way as the first three: automatically, using the payment method on file with Social Security. There would be no process or separate request required. Any announcement would come from the IRS and the Treasury Department, not from Social Security directly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get a stimulus payment if I was claimed as a dependent?

No. If someone else claimed you as a dependent on their tax return in the year the payment was issued, you did not receive a stimulus payment. The person who claimed you may have received an additional amount for you instead. You cannot claim the payment yourself later, even if you are no longer a dependent.

What if I lost my stimulus debit card?

Contact the card issuer (MetaBank or a similar bank, depending on the round) using the number on the back of the card or on your IRS records. If you never received the card or it expired, the IRS can reissue the balance as a check or direct deposit. Call 1-800-829-1040 with your Social Security number.

Do I have to file taxes to claim a missing stimulus payment?

Yes. To claim a missing first or second payment, you must file a 2020 tax return. To claim a missing third payment, you must file a 2021 return. Both returns must include the EITC, ACTC, or Recovery Rebate Credit to be processed. If you have no income and owe no tax, you can still file to claim the credit.

How long does it take to receive a missing stimulus payment?

If you file a tax return to claim it, the IRS typically processes the claim within two to three months of receiving your return, though it can take longer during busy filing periods. If you call the IRS directly, they can research your account when ready but may take several weeks to reissue the payment.

Will SSDI recipients get a fourth stimulus check in the future?

Only if Congress authorizes and funds another round. No fourth payment has been authorized. If one is approved, Social Security will not require a separate process; SSDI recipients will receive it automatically like the first three payments.