Law

When Will Social Security Disability Get Their Stimulus Checks?

by Robert0174

The American Rescue Plan enacted signed into law in 2021 authorized stimulus payments to help Americans offset some of the financial hardships caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s now 2022, and the virus continues to affect many families throughout the country, including some who may still be waiting for their stimulus payments to arrive.

The last of the payments under the American Rescue Plan were processed by the federal government in April 2021. More than a year later, there are people, including those who depend on Social Security disability benefits through the Supplemental Security Income and Social Security Disability Insurance programs to make ends meet, wondering when their stimulus money will arrive.

Some people who have not gotten a stimulus payment may not have met the eligibility requirements, so the following information reviews the guidelines to allow you to know whether you have a missing payment somewhere out there. It also explains how to go about locating a missing payment and alternate methods you can use to get credit for a missing payment. 

Missing Economic Impact Payments for 2020 and 2021

The first two rounds of Economic Impact Payments, commonly referred to by most people in and out of government as stimulus payments, were processed by the Internal Revenue Service. According to the IRS, it is no longer sending out anymore of the first two rounds of payments, but you may. 

If you have not received either of the first two payments, you may claim it by filing a federal income tax return for 2020 and claiming the amount of the payment, either $1,400 for the first payment or $600 for the second, as a 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit. If you already filed your 2020 tax return without taking the credit, you must file an amended 2020 income tax return and include the credit for the missing payment. 

There was a third stimulus payment authorized in March 2021 in the amount of $1,400. You look up the amount of the payment that you should have received at the IRS website. 

The IRS is no longer processing third-round payments, but you may get credit for it on your 2021 federal income tax return. If you were not required to file a 2021 tax return, you may file in now and take the Recovery Rebate Credit. For those of you who already filed a 2021 tax return, you need to file an amended return and include the credit on it.

Eligibility For Stimulus Payments

Stimulus payments were subject to eligibility guidelines, so you may want to review them to determine if you met the guidelines before going ahead with taking the missing amounts as a credit on your tax return. Before getting into income requirements for the stimulus payments, be aware that you must be a citizen of the United States, a permanent resident or a qualifying resident alien to receive a payment. You also need a valid Social Security number and cannot be claimed as a dependent on another person’s income tax return.

The following income requirements applied to be eligible for payments:

  • Individuals could not earn in excess of $75,000 a year.
  • Married couples filing jointly could not earn in excess of $150,000.
  • Individuals filing as head of household could not have earnings in excess of $112,500 a year.

If you exceeded the income limits, your stimulus payment was reduced by 5% of the amount that your adjusted gross income exceeds the maximum allowable income.

Qualifying For a Stimulus Payment On Social Security Disability

If you receive benefits through SSI, the income you received in 2018 and 2019 would be too low to require the filing of a federal income tax return for those years, so you would automatically qualify for a stimulus payment. Depending on their income, recipients of the following benefits also may meet the income thresholds:

  • SSDI
  • Social Security retirement and survivor benefits.
  • Disability, pension, and survivor benefits through the Department of Veterans Affairs

Recipients of SSDI should speak with an SSDI lawyer to find out if their monthly SSD benefits exceed the income limits for stimulus eligibility. 

How Do Stimulus Payments Affect SSDI And SSI?

SSDI does not have an unearned income limit, so stimulus payments would not affect your eligibility under the program. SSI recipients are subject to income limits, but steps were taken to prevent stimulus payments from affecting eligibility or the amount of SSI payments.

Special rules do not count the amount of a stimulus payment as income for purposes of SSI. If you received a payment and deposited it in the bank, it normally would count as a resource that must be reported to SSI. Special rules exempt the payment as a resource for SSI beneficiaries for 12 months starting on the day you receive the payment. If it has not been spent within 12 months, then it must be reported as a resource, and it could affect your SSI benefit. Get advice from an SSI lawyer if you have questions about your benefits.

Contact Law for more information

If you have questions about SSDI and SSI eligibility, the application process or an appeal of a denial of benefits an SSD lawyer at Law can be of assistance. Contact them today for a free consultation.

Francis Babet loves pursuing excellence through writing and has a passion for Legal. He currently writes for The law Firm, a USA Based Law Firm that provides SSD, SSI, SSDI, Personal Injury, and Drugs and Devices. His work has been published on various sites related to Social Security Disability, Supplemental Security Income and more.