Did You Get a SmileDirectClub Settlement Check? Here’s Why Payments Are Arriving Now (May 2026)

You opened your mailbox or checked your bank account and saw a payment — somewhere between $40 and $100 — connected to SmileDirectClub. Your first instinct was probably to wonder if it’s a scam. It is not. Here is exactly what it is, where it came from, and what you should do with it.

The Short Answer: It’s the Snow v. Align Technology Settlement

On November 21, 2025, U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria granted final approval to a $31.75 million settlement reached with Align Technology Inc. — the maker of Invisalign. The case is called Snow v. Align Technology, Inc., Case No. 3:21-cv-03269-VC, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.

The lawsuit centers on claims that Align Technology and SmileDirectClub engaged in anticompetitive conduct that artificially inflated prices for SmileDirectClub aligners. In plain English: Align allegedly agreed not to compete with SmileDirectClub in the direct-to-consumer aligner market, and SmileDirectClub charged higher prices than it would have if there had been real competition. That agreement allegedly cost you more money than you should have paid for your aligners. This settlement is the payback.

Why You Got Paid Without Filing a Claim

This is the part most people find confusing. You did not file anything, yet money showed up.

Settlement class members identified in SmileDirectClub’s records as purchasers are considered to have valid claims and will receive an automatic pro rata cash payment. The settlement administrator used SmileDirectClub’s own purchase records to identify who bought aligners during the eligible period. If you were in those records, you were automatically added to the payment list — no claim form required.

The current estimate for pro rata cash payments for eligible class members is between $80 and $100, but no less than $10. The payments will be subject to change based on attorneys’ fees and expenses and the size of the settlement class. If your check is on the lower end of that range, it just means more valid claims were filed by people who were not in SmileDirectClub’s records and had to submit a form manually.

Who Was Eligible for SmileDirectClub Settlement

The court defined the settlement class as all persons in the United States that purchased, paid and/or provided reimbursement for some or all of the purchase price for SmileDirectClub aligners acquired for personal use during the period beginning October 22, 2017, until August 18, 2022.

That covers a wide group — not just people who bought aligners for themselves. This also includes parents who paid for their children’s aligners or employers who reimbursed employees for orthodontic treatment. If you paid for someone else’s SmileDirectClub aligners during that window, you were part of this class too.

The claim filing period is now closed. If you received a payment, you do not need to do anything. If you received nothing and believe you should have, contact the settlement administrator at 1-888-788-8304 or [email protected] to ask about your status.

Related article: Missed the SmileDirectClub Claim Deadline? Here Is What You Can Still Do in 2026

What the SmileDirectClub Lawsuit Was Actually About

In 2016, Align Technology traditionally sold Invisalign products exclusively through dental offices but was facing a competitive threat from SmileDirectClub’s direct-to-consumer model. According to court documents, rather than compete fairly, Align allegedly entered into an anticompetitive agreement with SmileDirectClub that created distinct market territories. Align promised not to compete in the direct-to-consumer aligners segment, while SmileDirectClub would not encroach on the traditional dental office market. As part of this deal, Align received a 17% ownership stake in SmileDirectClub, allowing the Invisalign maker to profit from the company it agreed not to compete against.

This arrangement became clear in 2017 when Align attempted to enter the direct-to-consumer market by opening physical stores. SmileDirectClub immediately initiated arbitration, resulting in a 2018 ruling that forced Align to close its stores and extended its non-compete provisions until August 18, 2022. The antitrust claim is that this arrangement removed competition and let SmileDirectClub charge more than a competitive market would have allowed. Align denies wrongdoing. The settlement resolves the lawsuit without any finding of liability.

The Second Situation: HFD Refunds for Post-Shutdown Charges

Some former SmileDirectClub customers are seeing a completely different and separate credit — usually labeled as coming from Healthcare Finance Direct (HFD), which was the payment processor for SmileDirectClub’s monthly installment plan called SmilePay.

This is a different program entirely, not connected to the Snow v. Align settlement above.

New York Attorney General Letitia James recovered $4.8 million for more than 28,000 consumers, including 2,265 New Yorkers, who were improperly charged by SmileDirectClub after it went bankrupt and stopped providing services. SmileDirectClub filed for bankruptcy in September 2023, and in December 2023 announced it was shutting down, yet continued to charge consumers for services even after halting all business operations.

As a result of the agreement, consumers who were improperly charged received refunds. A portion of the refunds were issued automatically. Additional refunds were issued to consumers who submitted an online refund request to Healthcare Finance Direct. Eligible consumers were contacted by Healthcare Finance Direct by email with information on the automatic refunds and how to submit a request for an additional refund.

The deadline for submitting an HFD refund request was March 2025 and has passed. If you received an automatic credit from HFD, it came from this separate attorney general action — not the Align settlement. If you see a credit on your HFD account or a reversal of charges, that is what it is. It is real and legitimate.

Is the Check or Deposit Real? How to Verify

Yes — but here is how to confirm it is coming from the right source:

For the Snow v. Align settlement check: The payment will reference the Snow v. Align settlement or SDC Aligner Settlement. You can verify your payment status by contacting the settlement administrator directly at 1-888-788-8304 or visiting SDCAlignerSettlement.com. The mailing address for the administrator is Snow v. Align Class Action Settlement Administrator, PO Box 2830, Portland, OR 97208-2830.

For the HFD refund: The credit or refund will appear through Healthcare Finance Direct — the same company that handled your SmilePay installment account. If you get an email or see a charge reversal from HFD and you had a SmilePay account that was still active when SmileDirectClub shut down in December 2023, this is almost certainly legitimate.

If you are ever unsure whether a check is real, do not cash it until you can verify the source. Call the administrator’s published toll-free number directly — do not use any phone number printed on a check you did not expect.

Frequently Asked Questions

I bought SmileDirectClub aligners but got nothing. What happened? 

Not all class members sent a notice will receive an automatic payment. If you are a member of the class and received class notice, your notice indicated whether or not you needed to file a claim on the administrator’s website by the prior deadline. The claim filing deadline was October 27, 2025. If you missed it and were not in SmileDirectClub’s records for an automatic payment, the window is now closed. Contact the administrator to confirm your status.

My check is only $40. Is that right? 

Yes. The $31.75 million settlement provides pro rata cash payments distributed from the settlement fund, and the current estimate for payments is between $80 and $100 but no less than $10. Your final amount depends on how many people filed valid claims. Earlier estimates ranged from $40 to $60 before the final claims count was known — your payment simply reflects the number of participants who ended up in the distribution.

Does cashing this check mean I give up my other rights against SmileDirectClub?

 By remaining a member of the class, you do not release any claims that you have against SmileDirectClub that are not related to the agreement between Align and SmileDirectClub, such as claims relating to product defects or treatment harm that you may have experienced. Cashing this check settles only the antitrust claim about price inflation from the Align-SDC agreement — it does not affect any personal injury or product quality claims you might have.

Is there a class action I can still join for SmileDirectClub treatment harm? 

The Snow v. Align settlement is for antitrust overcharges only, not treatment harm. Dental injury or quality-of-care claims against SmileDirectClub are separate matters and are now complicated by SmileDirectClub’s bankruptcy. If you experienced dental harm, consult a consumer rights lawyer about your options — those claims have their own timelines and requirements.

Can I still get an HFD refund?

 The deadline to submit a refund request to Healthcare Finance Direct was March 2025 and has passed. Customers who were eligible for the compensation plan were contacted by HFD by email containing information on their refunds and a link to the refund request form. If you did not receive contact and believe you were improperly charged after SmileDirectClub shut down, you can still file a complaint with the New York Attorney General’s office at 1-800-428-9071.

Will the settlement payment affect my taxes?

 Settlement payments may be considered taxable income depending on your personal tax situation. Consult a tax professional for advice specific to your circumstances — this article does not constitute tax advice.

Sources & References

• Official settlement website: SDCAlignerSettlement.com
• Final approval confirmed by Hagens Berman: hbsslaw.com/cases/smiledirectclub-aligners-price-fixing-antitrust
• New York Attorney General HFD settlement announcement: ag.ny.gov/press-release/2024/attorney-general-james-recovers-48-million-consumers-wrongly-charged

Prepared by the AllAboutLawyer.com Editorial Team and reviewed for factual accuracy against the official settlement website at SDCAlignerSettlement.com, the Hagens Berman case page, and the New York Attorney General’s office press release on May 1, 2026. Last Updated: May 1, 2026

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Legal claims and outcomes depend on specific facts and applicable law. For advice regarding a particular situation, consult a qualified attorney.