Social Security benefits don’t arrive at the same time for everyone. Your birth date, benefit type, and even the way holidays fall all affect your deposit date. Knowing when to expect your money can help you manage your budget and plan ahead. This guide shows the Social Security payment schedule and how early deposits, holidays, or weekends might affect when your funds show up.
Understanding Federal Benefit Payments
The Social Security Administration (SSA) plans to send benefits to 69 million people in 2025. The most common SSA payments are:
- Social Security retirement benefits (the monthly amount you earned after years of hard work).
- Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI).
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
But not all payments follow the same schedule. Your benefit type — and sometimes your birthday or the year you started receiving payments — determines when your payment arrives.
When Will I Receive My Social Security This Month?
The Social Security payment calendar comes out every year. Because each benefit type has its own timing rules, figuring out when you’ll get your money can be a bit confusing.
Here's a simpler breakdown of how Social Security payment dates work and when you can expect your payment in 2025.
2025 Social Security (SSA) Payment Schedule
Your payment schedule depends on when you started receiving benefits and, in many cases, your birthday. Here’s a quick overview of how your Social Security payment date is determined for retirement and SSDI benefits.
If You Started Receiving Benefits Before May 1997
Your payment is straightforward if your Social Security payments started before May 1997. They'll arrive on the 3rd of each month.
If You Started After May 1997
If you didn’t get your first Social Security payment until after May 1997, your payment date always falls on a Wednesday. The exact date depends on your birth day:
- Born on the 1st–10th: Your payment comes on the 2nd Wednesday.
- Born on the 11th–20th: Look for it on the 3rd Wednesday.
- Born on the 21st–31st: Expect it on the 4th Wednesday.
There is one exception if your Wednesday pay date is a federal holiday. In that case, you’ll get it earlier, on the closest weekday before that’s not a holiday. So if Wednesday is a holiday, and Tuesday is too, your payment would arrive on Monday.
2025 SSI Payment Schedule
The Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payment schedule is easier to follow. Payments arrive on the 1st of every month. If the 1st happens to fall on a weekend, your deposit will come on the Friday before.
Do You Receive Both SSI and Social Security?
Some people receive both SSI and Social Security retirement benefits. If you’re in this group — and you started Social Security benefits before May 1997 — your payments are split between two dates:
- SSI arrives on the 1st of the month.
- Social Security arrives on the 3rd of the month if your benefits started before May 1997. If they started after that, your money will come on a Wednesday, based on your birth date.
Charlie Benefit Payment Schedule for 2025
When you set up your Social Security direct deposit to go into a Charlie Account, you could see your money three to five days sooner. It depends on your SSA schedule:
- Payments scheduled for the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th Wednesday usually arrive on the Friday before.
- Payments scheduled for the 3rd of the month are delivered three business days sooner, often landing before the 1st.
This early access gives you more breathing room in your budget and makes planning easier.
How Holidays Might Change Your Payment Date
Federal holidays can bump your payment date up a day. When a deposit is scheduled on a holiday, the SSA will send it on the business day before instead.
For example, if your money normally arrives on Wednesday, but Wednesday happens to be July 4th (Independence Day), you'll receive it on Tuesday, July 3rd instead.
Other Factors That May Delay Benefits
Social Security payments are pretty reliable, but occasional delays can happen. A few common factors that might affect when your money arrives include:
- Weekends: When your regular payment date falls on a Saturday or Sunday, you'll usually receive your money on the Friday before.
- SSA system delays: In rare instances, the Social Security Administration might experience technical or processing issues that temporarily slow down payments.
- Banking delays: Different banks have different processing schedules for incoming deposits.
Payments are sent electronically, either by direct deposit or a Direct Express® Debit Mastercard®, depending on your preference. To avoid any delays, it’s important to keep your banking information current with the SSA.
What To Do If Your Payment Is Missing
If your Social Security payment hasn’t shown up, don’t stress. There’s an easy way to check what’s going on and what to do next.
Your first step should be to contact your bank or credit union. Hang-ups can sometimes happen on their end, and they may be able to confirm whether the deposit is pending.
If the money still hasn’t arrived, contact the Social Security Administration at 1-800-772-1213 or get in touch with your local SSA office.
Social Security Payment Schedules: FAQs
What Day Will Social Security Be Deposited This Month?
Social Security payments depend on the type of benefit you receive and your birth date. Most retirement, disability, and survivor benefits are deposited on a Wednesday — either the second, third, or fourth one of the month, based on when you were born. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is usually paid on the 1st of the month. If your payment date falls on a weekend or holiday, you’ll usually get your money the weekday before.
How Do I Apply for SSI?
You can apply for SSI online, by phone, or in person. To apply online, visit ssa.gov/benefits/ssi. If you’d rather speak with someone, call 1-800-772-1213 or contact your local Social Security office. The application will ask about your income, living situation, and other eligibility details, so it’s a good idea to gather your documents ahead of time.
Can I Make An Appointment with the SSA?
Yes. To schedule an appointment, call 1-800-772-1213 or contact your local Social Security office directly. In-person appointments are often required for certain services, like applying for SSI or replacing a Social Security card.
What Time Does Social Security Direct Deposit Hit?
Social Security benefits typically appear in most bank accounts early in the morning on your scheduled payment date. If your deposit goes into a Charlie Account, you can generally expect to see your deposit by 5 pm CT on your scheduled payment date.
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