SSDI recipients received the third stimulus payment on the same schedule as other Social Security beneficiaries, with most deposits arriving between March 17 and April 7, 2021

The third stimulus payment, authorized under the American Rescue Plan Act in March 2021, went to SSDI recipients automatically if the Social Security Administration already had their bank account information on file. You did not have to take any action to receive it. The payment amount was $1,400 per person, with an additional $1,400 for each dependent claimed on a tax return.

The IRS and Social Security coordinated the deposit schedule based on the last two digits of your Social Security number. This staggered approach prevented the banking system from being overwhelmed by simultaneous deposits. SSDI recipients who received their regular monthly benefit by direct deposit received the stimulus payment the same way, to the same account.

If you received SSDI but had not provided bank account information to Social Security, the payment was mailed as a check. Paper checks took longer to arrive—some recipients did not receive them until May or June 2021. A small number of SSDI recipients who had not filed a tax return in recent years had to take additional steps to claim the payment, but this was uncommon.

Key Takeaways

  • SSDI recipients received the third stimulus payment automatically between mid-March and early April 2021 if Social Security had their direct deposit information.
  • The payment was $1,400 per person, plus $1,400 for each dependent you claimed on your most recent tax return.
  • If you did not have direct deposit set up with Social Security, your payment was mailed as a check and arrived later.
  • You did not need to file a tax return or contact the IRS to receive the payment unless Social Security had no record of you.

How the deposit schedule worked for SSDI recipients

The IRS released stimulus payments in waves based on the last two digits of your Social Security number. SSDI recipients followed the same schedule as other Social Security beneficiaries. If your number ended in 00 through 09, your payment arrived the week of March 17, 2021. Numbers ending in 10 through 19 received payments the week of March 24. The schedule continued in ten-digit increments through the week of April 7, when numbers ending in 90 through 99 received their deposits.

This staggered release meant that not all SSDI recipients received their payment on the same day. The exact date also depended on your bank's processing time. Some banks posted deposits within one business day; others took two to three days. If you had direct deposit set up, you could check your Social Security account online or call 1-800-772-1213 to see if your payment had been processed, even if it had not yet appeared in your bank account.

What happened if you received a check instead of direct deposit

SSDI recipients without direct deposit on file received their stimulus payment by mail. The IRS mailed checks in the same staggered order as direct deposits, but postal delivery added one to three weeks to the timeline. A check mailed in late March might not arrive until mid-April. Checks mailed in early April sometimes did not arrive until May.

If you were expecting a check and it did not arrive within three weeks of your scheduled payment date, you could contact the IRS using the "Get My Payment" tool on IRS.gov. This tool allowed you to check the status of your payment and, in some cases, update your bank account information so the IRS could deposit the money instead of mailing a check. You could also call the IRS at 1-800-919-9835 for information.

SSDI recipients who had to take additional action

Most SSDI recipients did not need to do anything to receive the third stimulus payment. However, a small group had to take steps to claim it. This included SSDI recipients who had not filed a tax return in 2019 or 2020 and had no other record with the IRS. Social Security's records alone were not always sufficient for the IRS to process the payment.

If you fell into this category, the IRS sent a notice to your address on file. The notice explained how to file a straightforward tax return or use the Non-Filer Sign-Up Tool on IRS.gov to register for the payment. The important date to claim the third stimulus payment using the Non-Filer tool was May 17, 2021. After that date, unclaimed payments could only be recovered by filing a tax return and claiming the Recovery Rebate Credit.

Dependents and the third stimulus payment

The third stimulus payment included $1,400 for each dependent you claimed on your most recent tax return. For SSDI recipients, "dependent" typically meant a child under 17 or a may have access to relative you supported. The IRS used information from your 2020 tax return if you filed one, or your 2019 return if you did not file in 2020.

If you had a new dependent in 2021 who was not on your previous tax return, you could not claim the dependent payment for the third stimulus. However, you could claim it when you filed your 2021 tax return the following year, using the Recovery Rebate Credit. This allowed you to recover the $1,400 per new dependent on your 2021 return.

What to do if you did not receive your third stimulus payment

If you were an SSDI recipient and did not receive your third stimulus payment by mid-May 2021, the first step was to check the status using the IRS "Get My Payment" tool at IRS.gov. This tool showed whether the payment had been processed, mailed, or deposited. If the tool showed the payment was deposited but you did not see it in your account, contact your bank to confirm it had not been held or rejected.

If the IRS tool showed no record of a payment, or if you had questions about the amount, you could file a 2021 tax return and claim the Recovery Rebate Credit. This credit allowed you to recover any stimulus payments you did not receive. You could also call the IRS at 1-800-919-9835 or contact a local IRS office for help. The important date to claim the third stimulus payment on your tax return was April 18, 2022.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did I have to file a tax return to get the third stimulus payment?

No. If Social Security had your direct deposit information or mailing address, the IRS sent the payment automatically. You only needed to file a return or use the Non-Filer tool if the IRS had no record of you from a previous tax return.

What if I moved and the check was sent to my old address?

Contact the IRS using the "Get My Payment" tool to update your address, or call 1-800-919-9835. If the check was returned to the IRS, they can reissue it to your current address. You can also claim the payment on your 2021 tax return using the Recovery Rebate Credit.

Can I still claim the third stimulus payment now?

Yes, but only by filing a 2021 tax return and claiming the Recovery Rebate Credit. The important date to claim it on your return was April 18, 2022. If you missed that important date, you may still be able to file an amended return, but contact a tax professional or the IRS for guidance.

Did my SSDI payment amount change because of the stimulus?

No. The stimulus payment was separate from your regular SSDI benefit and did not affect your monthly payment amount. It also did not count as income for purposes of SSI (Supplemental Security Income) limits in most cases, though rules varied by state.