SSDI recipients received the third stimulus check on the same schedule as other Americans

The third stimulus payment (sometimes called the Economic Impact Payment or EIP) was distributed starting in March 2021. Social Security Disability Insurance recipients did not receive it on a separate schedule — they got it alongside everyone else whose payment method was already on file with the IRS.

If you received Social Security or SSI payments by direct deposit, the IRS used that same bank account to send your stimulus money. If you received a paper check from Social Security, the IRS mailed you a paper stimulus check instead. The timing depended on which method you used and when the IRS processed your batch.

Because this payment happened in 2021, it is now in the past. This article explains how it worked so you understand the pattern if future stimulus payments are issued.

Key Takeaways

  • SSDI recipients received the third stimulus check using the same bank account or mailing address already connected to their Social Security payments.
  • Direct deposit recipients typically received their payment within days of the IRS sending it; paper check recipients waited for mail delivery.
  • The IRS did not send a separate process or form to SSDI recipients — Social Security's records were enough.
  • If you did not receive the third stimulus payment by late 2021, you could claim it on your 2021 tax return as the Recovery Rebate Credit.

How the IRS identified SSDI recipients

The IRS matched Social Security's records to its own database. If you were receiving SSDI or SSI payments, the IRS already knew your name, address, and (if you had one on file) your bank account number. The agency did not need you to do anything — no form, no phone call, no website visit.

This automatic matching was the fastest way to reach people who receive benefits. It meant SSDI recipients did not have to hunt for information or worry about missing a important date to register.

Direct deposit versus paper checks: when you received your money

If your Social Security payments went into a bank account by direct deposit, your stimulus check followed the same route. The IRS typically sent these payments in batches over several weeks starting in mid-March 2021. Most direct deposit recipients saw the money in their account within one to three business days of the IRS releasing their batch.

If you received a paper Social Security check in the mail, the IRS mailed you a paper stimulus check to the same address. Paper checks took longer — typically one to three weeks from the time the IRS mailed them, depending on postal service speed in your area.

You could check the status of your payment using the IRS's "Get My Payment" tool, which was available on the IRS website during the distribution period. That tool showed whether your payment had been sent and when it was expected to arrive.

What to do if you never received the third stimulus payment

If you did not receive the third stimulus check by the end of 2021, the money did not disappear. Instead, you could claim it on your 2021 federal tax return as the Recovery Rebate Credit.

To claim it, you filed your 2021 tax return (or had someone file it for you) and reported that you did not receive the payment. The IRS would then send you the money as a tax refund. This process took several months — typically three to six months after the IRS received your return — but you did eventually get the money.

If you did not file a tax return in 2021 because your income was too low, you could still file one just to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit. The IRS had a simplified form for people in this situation.

Why some SSDI recipients had to take extra steps

A small number of SSDI recipients did not receive their stimulus payment automatically. This usually happened if the IRS's records did not match Social Security's records — for example, if your name or address was spelled differently in the two systems, or if you had recently moved and updated one agency but not the other.

If this happened to you, the IRS sent you a notice explaining why. You could then contact the IRS or Social Security to correct your information. After the correction, the payment would be sent to the right account or address.

Some people also did not receive the payment because they were not a U.S. citizen or did not have a valid Social Security number. The stimulus payments had citizenship and residency requirements that some SSDI recipients did not meet.

The amount of the third stimulus check

The third stimulus payment was $1,400 per person for most Americans. SSDI recipients received the same amount as anyone else — there was no reduction or different calculation based on receiving disability benefits.

If you were claimed as a dependent on someone else's tax return, you did not receive a separate payment. If you had a spouse, you each received $1,400 if you both met the income and citizenship requirements. Children under 17 in your household also received $1,400 each.

How this compares to the first and second stimulus payments

The third stimulus check followed the same basic process as the first two payments (issued in 2020 and early 2021). The IRS used Social Security's records to identify recipients, sent money to the same bank accounts or addresses, and did not require any action from SSDI recipients.

The main difference was the amount: the first payment was $1,200 per person, the second was $600, and the third was $1,400. The income limits also changed slightly between payments, but SSDI recipients were generally not affected by income limits because their benefits were counted differently than wages.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did I have to report the stimulus check as income on my SSDI benefits?

No. The stimulus payments were not counted as income for purposes of Social Security benefits. They did not affect your monthly SSDI payment, and you did not have to report them to Social Security.

What if my bank account information changed after I applied for SSDI?

If you updated your bank account with Social Security but not with the IRS, the payment went to your old account. You would need to contact your bank to see if they could redirect it, or claim it on your 2021 tax return using the Recovery Rebate Credit.

Could I get the stimulus payment if I was not a U.S. citizen?

The stimulus payments required U.S. citizenship or a valid Social Security number issued for work purposes. Some SSDI recipients who were not citizens did not receive the payment. If this applied to you, you could not claim it on a tax return either.

Did the stimulus check affect my SSI benefits?

The stimulus payments were excluded from SSI income limits, so they did not reduce your monthly SSI payment. However, if you had not spent the money by the end of the month, it counted toward your resource limit (the total amount of money and property you can own). For SSI, the resource limit is $2,000 for an individual.

How do I know if a future stimulus payment will work the same way?

Future stimulus payments would likely follow the same pattern — automatic distribution using Social Security's records, no process required, and no effect on your monthly benefits. However, Congress would need to pass new legislation to issue another stimulus payment, and the rules could be different. Checking the IRS website or Social Security's website would give you the most current information if another payment is issued.