Since May 1997, the Social Security Administration (SSA) has categorized recipients of its retirement benefits based on their date of birth. Each month, three groups in these categories receive their payments on the second, third, and fourth Wednesday of each month. If you are new to retirement, firstly, congratulations! And second, let’s learn together how to know what your payment date is each month and how much money you could receive.
The next payment will be on May 14, 2025, the second Wednesday of the month. That’s the first of three Wednesdays of each month when the SSA sends payments to beneficiaries based on their date of birth, to those who began receiving their benefits after May 1997.
People with birthdays between the 1st and 10th of their birth month will receive the payment, approximately 23 million Social Security users who are only a fraction of the almost 70 million total who enjoy these payments.
Social Security Recipients: What happens if my birthday is not on those dates?
Don’t panic: you just have to know that, if your birthday is not between the 1st and 10th of a month, your payments will arrive on other dates:
- Beneficiaries with birthdays between the 11th and 20th of any month: receive their payments on the third Wednesday of the month, which is May 21.
- Beneficiaries with birthdays between the 21st and 31st of any month: receive their payments on the fourth Wednesday of the month, which is May 28.
There is a small group of very elderly beneficiaries who began claiming their benefits before May 1997, and to them, their pensions are deposited on the 3rd of each month. In May something particular happened, and that is that the 3rd fell on a Saturday. This means that the SSA activates a rule that indicates that payments are not sent on weekends or holidays: thus, the deposit was delivered to the bank accounts on May 2.
The maximum monthly benefit amount in 2025 is $5,108, applicable to those who retire at age 70 and have had maximum taxable income during their career and who paid their Social Security taxes for at least 35 work years. The average monthly amount for retirees in 2025 is $1,976 for an individual recipient and, for couples, it is $3,089 (adding together the retirements of both, not each one).
My Social Security payment is late: what do I do?
If your Social Security payments don’t arrive on time, the first step is to check with your bank or financial institution to make sure the deposit is not pending or delayed due to any processing issues. Delays can occur due to administrative errors or technical problems, and sometimes the bank can confirm whether the payment is on its way before contacting the Social Security Administration.
If you confirm that the payment has not arrived, you should contact the SSA directly. You can call the national toll-free number, 1-800-772-1213, which is available Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., depending on your local time.
For faster service, it is best to call early in the morning, between 8:00 and 10:00 a.m., or later in the week, Wednesday through Friday, and preferably towards the end of the month when the lines are less congested. If you are deaf or hard of hearing, you can use the TTY number 1-800-325-0778.
Additionally, the SSA offers 24/7 automated services that allow you to check the status of your payment without needing to speak to a representative. If you don’t like any of these contact options, you can personally go to the nearest SSA office and explain your situation there.
