SSDI, SSI and stimulus checks: Everything you need to know – CNET

At this point, we still don’t know when Congress will finish negotiations and pass another coronavirus relief package — and the second stimulus check that could come with it. If it does pass, we expect the rules that determine who gets a stimulus check, how fast you could get it and how much money yours would include to be like the first check, confusing at first glance and even more tricky for certain groups, like young adults, older adults and retirees and recipients of Supplemental Security Income and/or Social Security Disability Insurance. 

The good news is, if you’re a part of the SSI or SSDI program, it’s likely you’d qualify for a second direct payment, if Congress passes a bill. And if you still have questions about your first payment, we have answers.

Here’s everything we know right now about SSI and SSDI recipients and stimulus checks, including how to track down a missing payment, and how to file a request for a payment for an eligible dependent. If you don’t usually file taxes, you may be owed a stimulus check you can claim by Nov. 21. This story updates often.

Would I qualify for a second stimulus check if I receive SSI or SSDI?

We won’t know exactly who will qualify for a second stimulus payment until Congress completes a bill. But based on the proposed bills we’ve seen so far, we expect qualifications to largely remain the same as they were in the March CARES Act. That means those who are part of the SSI or SSDI program would qualify for another check, as they did in the first round, so long as you have a Social Security number, are not claimed as a dependent on someone else’s tax return and your household income is not above the threshold (which is $75,000 single, $112,500 head of household and $150,000 married). 

How would my stimulus payment arrive if I get SSI or SSDI?

Most SSI and SSDI recipients didn’t receive their first payments through their Direct Express card, though this is usually what the government uses to distribute federal benefits. Instead, the payment arrived through a non-Direct Express bank account, or through a paper check if you don’t have your bank account information on file with the IRS. It’s likely that if a second check is approved, it would arrive the same way the first one did, but possibly faster, as the IRS already has the payment system set up. 

What if I didn’t file a federal tax return in 2018 or 2019? 

If you receive federal benefits including SSI and SSDI as your only form of income, you were not required to file a federal income tax return in 2018 or 2019. Under the CARES Act, you were still eligible to receive a stimulus check, and should have received one automatically (no need to file a simple tax return, as the IRS had originally said).

What if I haven’t received a first-round stimulus check for myself? 

If you’re on SSI or SSDI but still haven’t gotten a stimulus check from the first round, the IRS may still need more information about your eligibility. To get your money, you need to provide your information to the IRS using its nonfilers tool by Nov. 21. 

The agency will ask for your name, mailing address, date of birth, Society Security number, bank account number if you have one, identity protection personal identification number (IP PIN), driver’s license or state-issued ID, if you have one. You can submit this information online using the nonfilers tool. (Important caveat: If you did file a 2019 tax refund, even if you weren’t required to do so, don’t use this tool — it’ll just slow down the processing of your return and any refund.)

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What if I didn’t get the first stimulus payment for my dependents?

Under the CARES Act, qualified people with dependents age 16 or younger were eligible for up to $500 per dependent. But not everyone with eligible dependents actually received that extra money. The last day to claim your missing payment and receive it this year has been extended to Nov. 21. 

(Find out who counts as a qualifying dependent in terms of stimulus payments and how old you have to be to count as an adult and receive your own stimulus check.)

How do I use the nonfilers tool to get a stimulus check?

Here’s what to expect when you use the IRS nonfilers tool: Create an account with your email address and phone number, along with a user ID and password. You’ll be directed to a screen where you’ll input your filing status (Single or Married filing jointly) and personal information. There’s a box to check if someone else can claim you or your spouse as a dependent. Then you can enter your bank information (if you’d rather not or don’t have a bank, the IRS will send you a check in the mail). You’ll be taken to another screen to enter more personal information to verify your identity. 

After you fill out the forms, you’ll get an email from Customer Service at Free File Fillable Forms acknowledging that you’ve successfully submitted your information, or letting you know there is a problem, and how to correct it. The site uses your information to automatically complete a Form 1040 and send it to the IRS to compute and send you a payment.

When will my own missing payment arrive?

If your payment didn’t come in the first round but you register with the nonfilers tool by Nov. 21, the IRS says you’ll receive the payment by the end of 2020. 

To track the status of your payment, use the IRS Get My Payment tool. 

When will my missing payment for dependents arrive? 

If you filled out the nonfilers tool from May 5 through Aug. 15, the IRS should have automatically issued the catch-up payment for your dependents in October. If you received your original stimulus money by direct deposit, you should have gotten the catch-up payment the same way. Others should have received it in the mail. 

If you file for your missing dependent money by Nov. 21, the payment should arrive by the end of 2020, in the same way that you received your first payment (likely direct deposit or by mail). If you miss the deadline, your check will be included on your 2020 tax return in 2021. 

To check the status of your or your dependent’s payment, use the IRS Get My Payment tool to track it. You should also get a notice in the mail letting you know that an additional $500 per qualifying child has been issued. 

What if I’m in the SSI or SSDI program, but live outside of the US?

If you are a Social Security beneficiary with a foreign address, whose monthly benefit is deposited into a foreign bank account, you’ll receive your stimulus payment by a check in the mail (the IRS doesn’t deposit money into foreign banks). The IRS planned to start sending those checks at the end of July. If you live abroad but receive your monthly benefits through a US bank, you should have received your payment by direct deposit to that account by the end of July as well. (Find out everything you need to know about stimulus checks, citizenship and living abroad here.)

Again, you can use the Get My Payment tool to track your payment. 

For more information, find out if you’re qualified for a second stimulus check and when you can expect a second stimulus check. If you still haven’t gotten a first stimulus check, you can track the status of your stimulus check, learn how to report your missing check to the IRS and find possible reasons why your stimulus check still hasn’t arrived.