SSDI recipients got the third stimulus in May 2021, but the exact date depended on how you receive your benefits
The third stimulus payment—officially the Economic Impact Payment from the American Rescue Plan—went out in waves starting in March 2021. Most SSDI recipients who had their payment information on file with the Social Security Administration received the money between mid-March and mid-May 2021. If you received SSDI by direct deposit, your payment arrived first. If you received a check by mail, it took longer. If you received a prepaid debit card, that arrived in a separate wave.
This article explains the timeline that actually happened, not what to do now. The third stimulus ended in 2021. If you are looking for information about a current or future stimulus, that program does not exist yet. This guide is historical information about how the third payment was distributed to SSDI beneficiaries.
Key Takeaways
- SSDI recipients who received benefits by direct deposit got the third stimulus between mid-March and mid-May 2021, with most deposits arriving by early May.
- Recipients who received paper checks got their payments later, typically between April and June 2021, because checks took time to print and mail.
- Some SSDI recipients received the payment on a prepaid debit card issued by the Treasury Department, which arrived in a separate distribution wave in May 2021.
- The Social Security Administration did not require SSDI recipients to take any action to receive the payment if their information was already on file.
Direct Deposit Recipients: Mid-March Through May 2021
If you had direct deposit set up with the Social Security Administration, your third stimulus payment went into your bank account or credit union account automatically. The first wave of direct deposits began on March 17, 2021. Most SSDI recipients on direct deposit received their payment by May 11, 2021.
The Social Security Administration processed SSDI beneficiaries in batches based on their Social Security number. People whose numbers ended in lower digits received payments first, followed by higher numbers. This staggered approach spread the deposits across eight weeks to avoid overwhelming the banking system.
If you did not see the payment by mid-May 2021, the issue was usually either that your bank was slow to post the deposit, or that the Social Security Administration did not have current banking information on file. In that case, you would have received a check instead.
Paper Check Recipients: April Through June 2021
SSDI recipients who did not have direct deposit on file received the third stimulus as a paper check mailed by the U.S. Postal Service. The first checks were mailed in early April 2021. Because of mail delivery times, most recipients did not receive their checks until late April or May 2021. Some checks arrived as late as June 2021.
Paper checks took longer than direct deposits because the Treasury Department had to print millions of checks, sort them by address, and hand them to the postal service. Delivery also depended on where you lived and how busy your local post office was. Rural addresses sometimes took longer than urban ones.
If your check was lost or damaged in the mail, you could request a replacement from the IRS. That process took additional weeks.
Prepaid Debit Card Recipients: May 2021
Some SSDI recipients received the third stimulus on a prepaid debit card issued by the Treasury Department. These cards were mailed separately from checks and arrived in May 2021. The card had the payment amount already loaded on it and could be used when ready at ATMs or stores.
The Treasury Department used prepaid cards for recipients whose addresses were on file but whose banking information was not. This was less common than direct deposit or checks, but it happened to a smaller group of beneficiaries.
What Happened If You Did Not Receive the Payment
Some SSDI recipients did not receive the third stimulus in 2021 because their information was not on file with the Social Security Administration, or because there was an error in their address or banking details. Others had the payment sent to an old address.
If you did not receive the payment by June 2021, you could file a claim with the IRS using Form 3911 (process for IRS Individual Identification Number) or by calling the IRS directly. The IRS kept a record of who received payments and who did not. You could also check the IRS website using the "Get My Payment" tool, which was active during 2021.
The important date to claim a missing third stimulus payment was April 15, 2022, when you filed your 2021 tax return. After that date, the IRS no longer issued payments for the third stimulus.
How the Social Security Administration Determined Payment Method
The Social Security Administration automatically sent the third stimulus using whatever payment method you already had set up for your regular SSDI benefits. If you received SSDI by direct deposit, the stimulus went to that same account. If you received SSDI by check, the stimulus came as a check. You did not have to choose or request a different method.
This meant that the payment method was determined by decisions you made years earlier when you first set up your SSDI account. The Social Security Administration did not update payment methods for the stimulus—it used what was already there.
Timeline Comparison: When Different Recipients Got Paid
| Payment Method | First Payments Sent | Most Recipients Received By | Latest Typical Arrival |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direct Deposit | March 17, 2021 | May 11, 2021 | Mid-May 2021 |
| Paper Check | Early April 2021 | Late April 2021 | June 2021 |
| Prepaid Debit Card | May 2021 | Mid-May 2021 | Late May 2021 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Did SSDI recipients have to do anything to get the third stimulus?
No. The Social Security Administration automatically sent the payment to everyone on SSDI whose information was on file. You did not have to file a form, call anyone, or take any action. The payment was sent using your existing payment method.
What if I was on SSDI but did not get the third stimulus in 2021?
You could file a claim with the IRS using your 2021 tax return or by contacting the IRS directly. The important date was April 15, 2022. After that, the IRS did not issue additional third stimulus payments.
Could I change how I received the payment?
No. The Social Security Administration used your existing payment method and did not allow changes for the stimulus. If you wanted to switch to direct deposit for future SSDI payments, you could do that separately through the Social Security Administration, but it would not have affected the third stimulus.
Did the third stimulus count as income for SSDI purposes?
No. The stimulus payment did not count as income and did not affect your SSDI benefits or your Supplemental Security Income (SSI) if you received that as well. It was a one-time payment separate from your regular benefits.