Yes, Direct Express cardholders (Social Security, SSI, SSDI, Veterans, and Railroad Retirement recipients) receive stimulus payments (Economic Impact Payments) directly to their cards, usually automatically without needing to take action. The IRS handles all scheduling, and payments are deposited to the card account once released, though timing may differ from bank-account transfers.
All Social Security beneficiaries – retired workers, workers with disabilities, eligible family members, and survivors – may be eligible for the stimulus payment.
Visit the IRS Get My Payment (GMP) portal at https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/get-my-payment to see if you can expect a 2021 Economic Impact Payment. The GMP portal will provide the date when your payment was or will be sent.
The legislation will give single adults who reported adjusted gross income of $75,000 or less on their 2019 tax returns a one-time check for $1,200. Married couples who filed jointly will receive $2,400. Families will get an additional $500 for each child under 17.
There has been some misinformation spread online about an alleged "fourth stimulus check" being sent to older Americans or people with disabilities. There will be no fourth stimulus check going out to anyone.
After logging into your account, you can find stimulus check information in the "tax records" section under the "records and status" toolbar. You can also check the "tax records" section to see if you filed a return for 2021.
No, the IRS is not currently sending out new $1400 stimulus checks in 2026, but they did wrap up sending out final automatic payments for unclaimed 2021 Recovery Rebate Credits in late 2024/early 2025, with the deadline to claim these missed payments passing on April 15, 2025; new checks would require new Congressional action, and any texts about current stimulus payments are scams, say FOX 5 DC, CNBC, and IRS.gov.
To track your past stimulus payments, you can check your IRS online account for total amounts or, if you're missing payments, file a tax return claiming the Recovery Rebate Credit, as the official "Get My Payment" tool is no longer active for the original stimulus rounds but your account shows records, using your Social Security Number (SSN) for access and verification.
Direct Financial Relief:
One-time $600 payment to individuals who earn less than $30,000 and are eligible for the California Earned Income Tax Credit.
The 2.8 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) will begin with benefits payable to nearly 71 million Social Security beneficiaries in January 2026. Increased payments to nearly 7.5 million SSI recipients will begin on December 31, 2025.
Families earning less than $150,000 a year and individuals earning less than $75,000 a year should get the full $1,400 per person. Families earning up to $160,000 per year and individuals earning up to $80,000 per year will receive prorated stimulus checks for less than $1,400 max.
Direct Express is a prepaid debit card program for federal benefits, issued by Comerica Bank (though a transition to Fifth Third Bank is underway), under license from Mastercard, allowing recipients to receive payments like Social Security or Veterans' benefits electronically. While Comerica managed the program, Fifth Third Bank is taking over as the new financial agent, starting September 2025, with new digital features.
Yes, the Social Security Administration (SSA) uses Direct Express as one of the primary electronic payment methods for federal benefits, alongside traditional direct deposit into a bank account, and it's required for most recipients to go electronic. The Direct Express Debit Mastercard is a prepaid debit card for those who don't have a bank account or prefer not to use one, automatically receiving payments like Social Security (Retirement, Survivor, Disability) and SSI.
It's Easy: Your money is automatically deposited to your card account on payment day each month.
Check the Status of Your Economic Impact Payment
Stimulus payments
Single taxpayers with an adjusted gross income (AGI) of $75,000 or below. Taxpayers filing as heads of household with AGIs of $112,500 or below. Married couples filing jointly with AGIs of $150,000 or below.
The third stimulus check was approved as part of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, a $1.9 trillion relief bill passed by the 117th United States Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden in March 2021. It was a Democratic-led effort, passed without Republican support, providing $1,400 direct payments to eligible individuals.
The $1,400 payment from the IRS refers to the third Economic Impact Payment (EIP3) from 2021, which eligible individuals could claim by filing a 2021 tax return as a Recovery Rebate Credit (RRC) if they missed the payment or received less than the full amount, with payments going out in late 2024/early 2025 to those who hadn't claimed it. Eligibility depends on 2021 income, with phase-outs above $75k (single) or $150k (married), and you get up to $1,400 for yourself plus $1,400 for each qualifying dependent (like adult children, parents, or disabled relatives). To get it, you must have filed your 2021 return by April 15, 2025, and if you left the RRC blank or put $0, the IRS is sending these payments now.
While speculation about a fourth stimulus check has surfaced on social media and unverified websites, there has been no official confirmation from Congress or the IRS to support this claim and any such news should be taken with caution as it could be misinformation or attempted fraud.
If you receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits, you will automatically qualify for the third stimulus check which will be in the amount $1400.
The Trump administration is halting the use of paper checks after Sept. 30 for most federal payments. These include benefits for Social Security, Social Security Disability Insurance, veterans' benefits and tax refunds.
Nearly 71 million Social Security beneficiaries will see a 2.8 percent COLA beginning in January 2026. Increased payments to nearly 7.5 million people receiving SSI will begin on December 31, 2025.
Beneficiaries who get Supplemental Security Income (SSI) will get two checks in the month of May. The first check, due on May 1, is the benefit for the month of May 2025. A second check is due on May 30, the benefit check for the month of June.