SSDI recipients received the third stimulus check on the same schedule as other Americans, with most payments arriving between March and December 2021

The third stimulus payment, formally called the American Rescue Plan Economic Impact Payment, was distributed by the IRS starting in March 2021. SSDI recipients did not receive payments on a separate track — they were included in the standard IRS distribution schedule based on how the IRS had their banking information on file. If you received SSDI in 2020 or filed a 2020 tax return, the IRS used that account to deposit your payment.

Most SSDI recipients who had direct deposit set up through Social Security received their third payment between mid-March and early April 2021. Those without direct deposit on file received paper checks by mail, which took longer — typically arriving between April and June 2021, though some arrived as late as December 2021 depending on postal delays and address changes.

The third stimulus payment was $1,400 per person for most recipients. Dependents also received $1,400 each if they met the income limits. Unlike the first two payments, this one did not reduce your SSDI benefit amount — it was a one-time federal payment separate from your monthly benefit.

Key Takeaways

  • SSDI recipients received the third stimulus payment using the same banking information Social Security had on file, so no separate SSDI process was needed.
  • Direct deposit recipients typically received payments between mid-March and early April 2021; paper check recipients waited until April through December 2021.
  • The $1,400 payment did not count as income and did not reduce your monthly SSDI benefit.
  • If you did not receive a third payment by the end of 2021, you could claim it on your 2021 tax return as the Recovery Rebate Credit.

How the IRS identified SSDI recipients for the third payment

The IRS did not contact Social Security to cross-check SSDI rolls. Instead, it used tax records and prior stimulus payment records to identify who should receive money. If you filed a 2020 tax return, the IRS used the bank account from that return. If you did not file taxes but received the first or second stimulus payment, the IRS used the account information from those prior payments.

SSDI recipients who had not filed taxes and had not received prior stimulus payments were identified through a separate Social Security data match. Social Security provided the IRS with the names and addresses of current beneficiaries so the IRS could mail checks to those without direct deposit information on file.

This process meant most SSDI recipients did not have to take any action. The payment was automatic if the IRS had any record of your account or address. You did not need to contact Social Security or the IRS to receive it.

Timeline for when payments actually arrived

The IRS released payments in waves rather than all at once. The first wave, sent in mid-March 2021, went to people whose 2020 tax returns had already been processed and whose direct deposit information was current. SSDI recipients with active direct deposit accounts through Social Security were included in this first group.

Subsequent waves continued through April and May 2021 as the IRS processed more returns and updated address information. Paper checks were printed and mailed starting in late March, but postal delivery times meant many did not arrive until April or May. Some recipients reported receiving checks as late as July or August 2021.

By the end of 2021, the IRS had distributed nearly all third payments. A small number of checks were still in transit or had been lost in the mail, but these were exceptions rather than the rule.

What to do if you never received your third payment

If you did not receive a third stimulus payment by the end of 2021, the first step was to check the IRS "Get My Payment" tool on the IRS website. This tool showed the payment status, the amount, and the method of delivery (direct deposit or check). If the tool said the payment was mailed, you could request a replacement check through the same tool.

If the tool showed no record of a payment, or if you believed you were may have access to to one, you could claim the Recovery Rebate Credit on your 2021 tax return. This credit allowed you to receive the money you missed when you filed your taxes. You did not need to contact the IRS directly — the credit was claimed on the return itself.

SSDI recipients who did not file taxes could file a 2021 return solely to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit. Social Security did not file taxes on your behalf, so if you had not filed, you had to do so to recover the payment. Free tax filing services were available through IRS Free File if your income was below the threshold.

Dependents and household members

Each dependent claimed on your tax return or Social Security record received their own $1,400 payment. If you had a spouse receiving SSDI and you filed taxes jointly, you each received $1,400, plus $1,400 for each dependent child under 17.

Adult dependents (age 17 and older) did not receive payments unless they had their own tax return on file. If an adult dependent lived with you but had no income and no tax return, they did not receive a third payment. This was different from the first two stimulus payments, which included some adult dependents.

If a dependent did not receive a payment they were may have access to to, the household could claim the missing amount on the 2021 tax return as part of the Recovery Rebate Credit.

The third payment and your SSDI benefits

The third stimulus payment did not affect your SSDI benefit amount. Social Security does not count one-time federal payments as income for benefit calculation purposes. Your monthly SSDI check remained the same before and after you received the stimulus payment.

The payment also did not count toward the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) resource limit if you received SSI instead of SSDI. However, SSI has a strict resource limit of $2,000 for individuals and $3,000 for couples. If you received SSI and the stimulus payment brought your resources above the limit, you could have lost SSI benefits for that month. Many SSI recipients were given a temporary exemption to hold the stimulus payment without losing benefits, but this varied by state and situation.

If you were unsure whether the stimulus payment affected your specific benefits, you could contact Social Security directly at 1-800-772-1213 to ask.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did SSDI recipients get the third stimulus check automatically?

Yes. If the IRS had your direct deposit information from a prior tax return or stimulus payment, the money was deposited automatically. If not, the IRS mailed a check to your address on file. You did not need to contact anyone or submit paperwork to receive it.

Why did some SSDI recipients get checks in the mail instead of direct deposit?

The IRS used the banking information it already had on file from your most recent tax return or prior stimulus payment. If you had not filed taxes recently and had not received prior stimulus payments, the IRS had no bank account information and mailed a check instead. You could have updated your banking information through the IRS website before the payment was sent, but many recipients did not know this was possible.

What if I lost or never received my third stimulus check?

You could request a replacement check through the IRS "Get My Payment" tool on irs.gov. If the tool showed the check was mailed, you could request a new one. If you never received a replacement, you could claim the amount on your 2021 tax return as the Recovery Rebate Credit.

Did the third stimulus payment reduce my monthly SSDI check?

No. The third stimulus payment was a one-time federal payment that did not count as income and did not affect your monthly SSDI benefit. Your benefit stayed the same.

Can I still get the third stimulus payment if I missed it in 2021?

If you did not receive the payment in 2021, you could claim it on your 2021 tax return as the Recovery Rebate Credit. You had to file a return to claim it, even if you normally do not file. The important date to claim it was April 15, 2022, but the IRS allowed late claims in some cases.