There was no fourth stimulus check for most SSDI recipients

The federal government issued three rounds of stimulus payments during the COVID-19 pandemic: in March 2020, December 2020, and March 2021. SSDI recipients were included in all three rounds. As of now, no fourth stimulus payment has been authorized by Congress, and there are no current plans to distribute one.

If you received the first three payments, you have already been processed into the IRS system as someone may be able to access for stimulus funds. You do not need to take any action to "register" for a fourth payment that does not exist. If Congress does authorize a fourth payment in the future, the IRS would use the same records they already have on file.

Confusion about a fourth check often comes from state-level payments or from scams claiming to offer stimulus money. Some states did send their own payments to residents during the pandemic, but these were separate from federal stimulus checks and are no longer being distributed.

Key Takeaways

  • Three federal stimulus payments were issued to SSDI recipients between March 2020 and March 2021; no fourth federal payment has been authorized.
  • If you received the first three checks, your information is already on file with the IRS and you do not need to register for a future payment.
  • Some states issued their own pandemic relief payments separate from federal stimulus checks, but these programs have ended.
  • Scams claiming to help you get a fourth stimulus check are common; the IRS does not contact people by phone, email, or text to offer payments.

How the three stimulus payments worked for SSDI

SSDI recipients did not have to file a tax return or take any action to receive the three stimulus payments. The Social Security Administration automatically sent payment information to the IRS, which then issued checks or direct deposits based on SSA records. If you were receiving SSDI benefits when each payment was authorized, you were included.

The three payments were: $1,200 in March 2020, $600 in December 2020, and $1,400 in March 2021. Payments went to your bank account on file with Social Security, or by check if no account was registered. Some recipients received their payments on their Social Security debit card if they did not have direct deposit set up.

If you did not receive one of the three payments you were owed, you could claim it on your tax return for that year, even if you normally do not file taxes. The important date to claim the first two payments has passed, but you may still be able to claim the third payment (the $1,400 check from March 2021) if you did not receive it.

What to do if you did not receive a stimulus payment you were owed

If you were receiving SSDI in March 2020, December 2020, or March 2021 but did not get the payment for that round, you have options depending on which payment you missed and how much time has passed.

For the third payment ($1,400 from March 2021), you can still claim it by filing a 2021 tax return with the IRS, even if you do not normally file. You will need to report that you did not receive the payment. The IRS will then issue it to you. You can file a 2021 return at any time, though the sooner you file, the sooner you will receive the money.

For the first two payments (2020 and 2020-2021), the window to claim them has closed. If you did not receive those payments and did not claim them on a tax return at the time, contact the IRS directly at 1-800-829-1040 to ask about your specific situation. Have your Social Security number and the year in question ready when you call.

Protecting yourself from stimulus payment scams

Scammers have used fake stimulus payments as bait since 2020. Common scams include text messages or emails claiming you are owed a fourth stimulus check and asking you to click a link or provide personal information. The IRS does not contact people by text, email, or unsolicited phone call to offer money.

If you receive a message claiming to be from the IRS or Social Security offering a stimulus payment, do not click any links or provide any information. Delete the message. The real IRS will only contact you by mail if there is a problem with your account.

Legitimate information about stimulus payments comes from IRS.gov or SSA.gov. If you are unsure whether a message is real, go directly to one of those websites or call the official number listed there. Do not use a phone number from the message itself.

State stimulus payments that have ended

Several states issued their own relief payments to residents during the pandemic, separate from the federal stimulus checks. These included payments in California, Colorado, Georgia, and other states. These state programs are no longer active and are not accepting new requests.

If you received a state payment, that was a one-time distribution and there is no second round. If you did not receive a state payment you believed you were owed, the important date to claim it has passed in most cases. Check your state's revenue or treasury website if you want to confirm whether a program existed and whether claims are still being accepted.

What happens if Congress authorizes a fourth stimulus payment

If the federal government does authorize a fourth stimulus payment in the future, SSDI recipients would be included in the same way as the previous three payments. The Social Security Administration would report current beneficiaries to the IRS, and payments would be issued automatically without any action required on your part.

You do not need to register, sign up, or contact anyone to be ready for a future payment. Your information is already in the system. If you have moved or changed your bank account since the third payment, you may want to update your address and direct deposit information with Social Security to make sure a future payment reaches you, but this is not urgent unless you are planning a move soon.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get a fourth stimulus check if I did not receive the first three?

If you were receiving SSDI when the three payments were issued but did not get them, you can claim the third payment ($1,400 from March 2021) by filing a 2021 tax return. For the first two payments, contact the IRS at 1-800-829-1040. A fourth payment does not exist yet, so this question is hypothetical.

How do I know if I already got a stimulus payment?

Check your bank account or the account where Social Security deposits your benefits. The three payments appeared as separate deposits. You can also check the IRS website at IRS.gov and use their "Get My Payment" tool, which shows the status and amount of each payment issued to you.

What if a scammer convinced me to give them my information for a fourth stimulus check?

Contact Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 and the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 to report what happened. If you gave out your bank account number or Social Security number, monitor your accounts for fraud and consider placing a fraud alert with the credit bureaus. You can also report the scam to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

Do I have to pay taxes on the stimulus payments I received?

No. The three stimulus payments were not taxable income and do not affect your SSDI benefits or your tax return. You do not report them as income, and they do not reduce your benefits in any way.