SSDI recipients received the second stimulus check between January and March 2021

The second Economic Impact Payment — the $600 check authorized by Congress in December 2020 — went to most SSDI beneficiaries automatically between mid-January and early March 2021. The Social Security Administration (SSA) did not require you to file a tax return or take any action to receive it. If you were receiving SSDI benefits in December 2020, the payment was deposited to the same account or mailed to the same address where you normally received your benefits.

The timing depended on how you received your regular SSDI payment. People with direct deposit got their stimulus check first, usually by mid-January 2021. Those receiving paper checks by mail received them later, typically by early March 2021. A small number of SSDI recipients — those who had not yet provided banking information to SSA — received their payment on a debit card mailed by the Treasury Department.

This was different from the first stimulus check in 2020, which required more SSDI beneficiaries to file a tax return or submit information to the IRS. By the time the second payment was authorized, SSA and the Treasury Department had streamlined the process and used existing benefit records to identify who should receive the money.

Key Takeaways

  • SSDI recipients who were on the rolls in December 2020 received $600 automatically without filing anything or contacting SSA.
  • Direct deposit recipients received their payment between mid-January and early March 2021; paper check recipients received theirs by early March 2021.
  • If you did not receive your second stimulus check by April 2021, you could file a 2020 tax return or contact the IRS to claim it as a Recovery Rebate Credit.
  • The payment was not counted as income for SSDI purposes and did not reduce your monthly benefit amount.

Who received the second stimulus payment automatically

SSA automatically sent the $600 payment to anyone who was receiving SSDI benefits in December 2020 and had a valid Social Security number. You did not have to be working, file taxes, or meet any other condition beyond being on the SSDI rolls at that time. The agency used its own records to identify beneficiaries and coordinated with the Treasury Department to process the payments.

SSDI recipients who were also receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) received only one $600 payment, not two. SSA and the Treasury Department coordinated to avoid sending duplicate payments to people on both programs.

How the payment was delivered

The method you received your second stimulus check depended on how SSA pays you your regular SSDI benefit. If you had set up direct deposit with SSA, your $600 payment was deposited to that same bank account or prepaid card account. These payments began arriving in mid-January 2021 and were completed by early February for most recipients.

If you received your SSDI benefit by paper check mailed to your home, your stimulus check was also mailed. These checks took longer to arrive because of mail processing time. Most paper check recipients received their stimulus payment by early March 2021, though some arrived as late as mid-March depending on postal delays.

A small number of SSDI recipients who had not provided banking information to SSA received their payment on an Economic Impact Payment card — a prepaid debit card issued by the Treasury Department and mailed separately. These cards arrived with instructions on how to set up and use them.

What happened if you did not receive your payment by spring 2021

If you were on SSDI in December 2020 but did not receive your $600 payment by April 2021, the most common reason was that SSA did not have your current mailing address or banking information on file. You could update your address or banking details by contacting SSA directly at 1-800-772-1213 or visiting your local Social Security office.

Another reason for non-receipt was if you had been removed from the SSDI rolls between December 2020 and when the payment was processed. If your benefits ended, you were not sent a stimulus payment unless you were reinstated before the payment was issued.

If you believed you should have received the payment but did not, you could file a 2020 tax return and claim the $600 as a Recovery Rebate Credit. The IRS allowed people to claim any stimulus payments they did not receive on their tax return. This option was available through the normal tax filing important date or later if you filed an amended return.

Treatment of the stimulus payment for SSDI purposes

The $600 stimulus check was not counted as income for SSDI benefit calculation purposes. Receiving it did not reduce your monthly SSDI payment, and it did not affect your work incentives or your ability to work and still receive benefits. SSA treated the stimulus payment as a one-time, non-recurring payment that fell outside the normal income rules.

The payment also did not count toward the $2,000 resource limit for SSDI beneficiaries who also receive SSI. If you were on both programs, the stimulus money could be held in your bank account without affecting your SSI payment, though SSI has a 12-month exclusion period for certain lump-sum payments. After that period, the money would count toward your resource limit if you still had it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did SSDI recipients get a third stimulus check?

Yes. The third Economic Impact Payment of $1,400 per person was authorized in March 2021 and distributed between March and December 2021. SSDI recipients received it using the same automatic process as the second payment — no process or tax filing was required if you were on the rolls in March 2021.

What if I was on SSDI in December 2020 but my benefits were suspended before the payment arrived?

If your benefits were suspended or terminated before your stimulus payment was processed, you generally did not receive the $600. However, if your benefits were reinstated before the payment was issued, you would have received it. Contact SSA to confirm your status during December 2020 and January 2021.

Can I still claim the second stimulus payment if I never received it?

Yes, if you were on SSDI in December 2020 but never received your $600 payment, you can claim it on your tax return as a Recovery Rebate Credit. File a 2020 tax return or an amended return if you already filed. The IRS will process your claim and issue the payment.

Did the stimulus payment affect my Medicare or Medicaid?

The stimulus payment did not affect Medicare. For Medicaid, the rules depend on your state and whether you receive SSI along with SSDI. Some states have temporary exclusions for lump-sum payments. Contact your state Medicaid office or your local SSA office if you are concerned about how the payment might affect your coverage.