Social Security payments are sent out on different dates each month based on the recipient’s birthday and how long they have been receiving benefits. For those who started receiving Social Security before May 1997, payments are made on the 3rd of each month. For those who started receiving benefits after May 1997, payment dates are determined by birthdate.
If your birthday falls between the 1st and 10th of the month, you will be paid on the second Wednesday. If your birthday is between the 11th and 20th, you will receive your payment on the third Wednesday. Those with birthdays between the 21st and 31st are paid on the fourth Wednesday of each month.
There are some exceptions to this schedule. If you receive both Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI), your Social Security payment will arrive on the 3rd and your SSI on the 1st of each month. These dates may change if the 1st or 3rd falls on a weekend or holiday.
Social Security payment schedule overview
The Social Security Administration recommends waiting three mailing days past your scheduled payment date before contacting them about a missing check. Wait times are typically shorter if you call later in the week or month.
The average monthly Social Security retirement benefit in January 2024 was $1,907. The maximum possible benefit depends on the age you retire. Retiring at full retirement age in 2024 provides a maximum benefit of $3,822.
Retiring at 62 yields a maximum of $2,710, while waiting until 70 to retire offers a maximum of $4,873 per month. Social Security benefits are adjusted each year based on the cost of living. In October, the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for 2025 will be announced.
Benefits are expected to increase by around 2.5 percent according to analysts. This is a more modest increase compared to the 8.7 percent COLA in 2023, which was the largest in nearly 40 years due to high inflation.
