A $1,400 check from Social Security is likely the third federal COVID-19 Economic Impact Payment (stimulus check) or a 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit, issued to Social Security, SSDI, or SSI recipients. These automatic payments, authorized under the American Rescue Plan, were sent to eligible individuals in 2021-2022 to provide financial relief.
An unexpected Social Security deposit often means you're receiving back pay for a past underpayment, a retroactive adjustment (like from new laws or corrected earnings), or a one-time payment after a claim was approved, sometimes appearing before a letter arrives. Common reasons include corrections for old errors, benefits switching (e.g., from SSI to DAC), or adjustments from laws like the Social Security Fairness Act. You should contact the SSA to confirm the reason and avoid spending it until you understand it, as it could be an error requiring repayment.
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.
Yes, Social Security is giving extra money through the 2026 Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA), which is a 2.8% increase for most beneficiaries starting in January 2026, raising the average retirement check by about $56 monthly due to higher inflation. This annual adjustment helps benefits keep pace with rising living costs, though some people might receive notices later in December.
However, the payment amounts may vary, according to the IRS. The full credit amount is available to individual taxpayers with up to $75,000 in adjusted gross income and to married couples who file jointly with up to $150,000 for 2021.
If you are on Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), a railroad retiree, or are receiving Social Security survivor benefits, the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) will use the information on your annual Social Security Administration form to distribute the check.
Yes, Social Security recipients received a Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) for 2025, but the bigger news is that they are getting a larger 2.8% COLA for 2026, announced in October 2025, which began with January 2026 payments, increasing average benefits by about $56 per month. The 2025 COLA was a smaller 2.5% increase, while the 2026 adjustment reflects moderating inflation, leading to higher payments starting in the new year.
You likely received two Social Security checks because of a calendar quirk, especially if you get Supplemental Security Income (SSI), where the first of the month payment gets moved to the last business day of the previous month if the 1st is a weekend or holiday, resulting in two payments in one calendar month (like December/January, or July/August). It could also be you receive both regular Social Security (RSDI) and SSI, or you are getting a separate back payment, but the calendar issue is common for SSI recipients.
The extra $144 added to Social Security usually comes from the Medicare Part B Giveback benefit, offered by some Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans, which pays back some or all your Part B premium, showing up as extra money in your check if it's deducted from your Social Security. To qualify, you need Original Medicare (Parts A & B), pay your own Part B premium, live in a plan's service area, and enroll in a specific Medicare Advantage plan that offers this "rebate," with the amount varying by plan and location.
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.
If you're on SSDI, you've likely received past stimulus checks automatically. Right now, there's no new stimulus in 2025, but history shows that SSDI beneficiaries have been included in relief programs. If another round is ever approved, you can expect to qualify as long as you meet income rules.
Overpayments generally occur when we don't have the right information about you. Always notify us when there are changes in your situation. The changes you need to report may be different depending on whether you receive Retirement, Disability, Family, Survivor, or SSI benefits.
So, what about this supposed Social Security bonus? The truth is, there is no such thing. However, the idea of a Social Security bonus may come from the fact that waiting to start receiving benefits can result in a higher benefit amount than if you start earlier.
You likely received extra money in October 2025 due to a calendar scheduling quirk for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) (which got two payments: one Oct 1st for October's benefit and one Oct 31st for November's), or perhaps a retroactive payment from the Social Security Fairness Act for Windfall Elimination/Government Pension Offset (WEP/GPO) adjustments, as Social Security's main Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) for 2026 started in January 2026, not October 2025, though the announcement was in October 2025.
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.
You get two Social Security checks in a month primarily if you receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and the first of the next month is a weekend or holiday, triggering an early payment, like in December 2025 (for Jan 2026) or October 2025. Regular Social Security recipients (retirement/disability) get one check, but some people receiving both Social Security and SSI, or benefits from multiple programs (like retirement and spouse benefits), might see multiple deposits or separate checks for different reasons (back pay, different benefit types).
2025 Updates and New IRS Features
Additionally, while previous tax refunds sometimes included stimulus payments related to pandemic relief, these payments have been phased out in 2025. Therefore, if you see a deposit labeled “IRS Treas 310” today, it is almost certainly solely from your tax refund.
The Social Security Administration announced in October that beneficiaries will see a 2.8% increase in their monthly payments, known as the cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA. Individuals receiving Social Security benefits will notice the increase starting in January 2026.
To get the maximum $5,108 Social Security benefit in 2025, you must have earned the maximum taxable income ($176,100 in 2025) for at least 35 years and waited to claim benefits until age 70, with only those born in 1955 (turning 70 in 2025) hitting that specific maximum due to benefit formula adjustments. It requires a long history of peak earnings and delaying retirement as long as possible to reach the highest possible payout, notes The Motley Fool, The Motley Fool, and The Motley Fool.
$1,400 for an eligible individual who has a valid Social Security number (SSN) ($2,800 for married couples filing a joint return if both spouses have a valid SSN or if one spouse has a valid SSN and one spouse was an active member of the U.S. Armed Forces at any time during the taxable year) plus.
Millions of Social Security recipients automatically received COVID-19 stimulus payments through the IRS using SSA and RRB data. Payments included up to $1,200 per individual in round one, $600 in round two, and $1,400 in round three, with extra amounts for dependents.
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.