When will I get my Social Security check? Payment schedule for 2025.

Yahoo

26-05-2025

For the roughly 70 million retired Americans who receive a Social Security check each month, angst about future delivery delays is palpable these days.
The Trump administration has made deep staffing cuts at the Social Security Administration, closed field offices, and made other service changes — and then backpedaled on some of those reforms — leaving many seniors on edge.
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In fact, worries about the program may be one reason there's been an uptick in new applications for initial benefits — with many people filing earlier than they had planned.
Given the worry in the air, let's review when and how checks are delivered to you.
If your sister has received her Social Security check this month, but you haven't, there's nothing to panic about.
Payments are sent out in bundles based on birthdays, and for most people, they're electronically directly deposited into a federally insured bank account.
By law, all federal benefit payments — including Social Security and Supplemental Security Income benefits — must be made electronically with few exceptions. Your monthly benefit is either sent via an electronic transfer into your bank account via Direct Deposit or put onto a Direct Express Debit Mastercard.
If you're applying for Social Security or Supplemental Security Income benefits, you elect to receive your benefit payment in one of these methods electronically when you enroll. If you currently receive Social Security or Supplemental Security Income benefits by check, you are in the minority and may need to switch to an electronic payment option if possible.
Learn more: What's the retirement age for Social Security, 401(k), and IRA withdrawals?
As for the timing of your monthly check, if your birthday lands between the first and 10th, your payment is sent out on the second Wednesday of the month. If your birthday is between the 11th and 20th, you'll be paid on the third Wednesday. If your birthday hits between the 21st and 31st, your payment is sent on the fourth Wednesday.
One caveat: If you receive spousal benefits or survivor benefits, your payment date is based on that person's birthday, not your birthday.
For those who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), these deposits are made on the first of the month unless that date falls on a weekend or holiday, in which case they're sent early.
Direct deposits typically appear by 9 a.m. on your payment day. If your payment is late, check with your bank or financial institution to see if there has been a posting delay for some reason.
If you receive your benefits by paper check, it can take up to three business days to receive your benefit. If that doesn't happen, contact the SSA via phone at 1-800-772-1213, or online through your My Social Security account.
Your My Social Security account is a free personalized portal where you can request a replacement Social Security card, check the status of a benefits application, estimate future benefits, or manage the benefits you already receive. You can set up an account even if you don't currently receive benefits.
Confirm that the SSA has your correct bank information and address, and it's a good idea to sign up for SSA to notify you when the payment is sent out.
Read more: How to find out your 2025 Social Security COLA increase
You can apply to start your Social Security checks via your My Social Security account or make an appointment with an agent in person or by phone at 1-800-333-1795. You select the month you want your benefit to start in your application. After you apply, SSA will send you a letter confirming that your benefits are approved or if you need to provide more information.
It typically takes at least a month to receive your first Social Security check after your application is processed. The precise timing of your payment delivery relies on processing times at the Social Security Administration, and staffing cuts and other backend tech disruptions are raising alarms right now.
During an SSA operations meeting in April, an official from the agency reported that the field offices 'are struggling right now to keep pace with the timeliness this year.'
That's why it's smart to apply up to four months before you want to start receiving benefits.
As Jason Fichtner, executive director of the Retirement Income Institute who served in several positions at the Social Security Administration, warned in an interview: 'With SSA staff being reduced while the agency was already operating at insufficient support levels and computer systems in need of modernization, continued service delays and breakdowns are likely.'
Kerry Hannon is a Senior Columnist at Yahoo Finance. She is a career and retirement strategist and the author of 14 books, including the forthcoming "Retirement Bites: A Gen X Guide to Securing Your Financial Future," "In Control at 50+: How to Succeed in the New World of Work" and "Never Too Old to Get Rich." Follow her on Bluesky.