Some Social Security recipients may find their benefit payments arriving at an unexpected time – but don't worry – it's because of how dates are falling on the benefit program's calendar.
Social Security payments for most recipients are issued monthly on Wednesdays. If your birthdate falls from the 1st through the 10th of the month, your payment is issued on the second Wednesday of the month; born on the 11th through the 20th, yours comes out on the third Wednesday, and so on, according to the Social Security Administration's calendar.
But this month, those who get Supplemental Security Income (SSI) will get their payment for March 2025 on Feb. 28.
Usually, SSI benefits come on the first of the month. But when the first falls on a weekend (as it does in March) or a federal holiday, they are issued early.
A few recipients have a slightly different schedule. For those who began getting Social Security before May 1997, Social Security is paid on the 3rd of the month, according to the agency's calendar. And for those who get both Social Security and SSI, their SSI payment comes out on the 1st and Social Security on the 3rd.
Monthly SSI benefit payments go to about 7.4 million Americans who may be disabled or have limited resources. About one-third of those who get SSI also get Social Security.
Social Security: More Americans are turning 65 each year, but not yet old enough for full Social Security benefits
SSI payment calendar: More quirks ahead
Supplemental Security Income checks will be sent out on the following dates in 2025, according to the SSA calendar.
-
Friday, Feb. 28, 2025 (Check for March 2025)
-
Tuesday, April 1, 2025 (Check for April 2025)
-
Thursday, May 1, 2025 (Check for May 2025)
-
Friday, May 30, 2025 (Check for June 2025)
-
Tuesday, July 1, 2025 (Check for July 2025)
-
Friday, Aug. 1, 2025 (Check for August 2025)
-
Friday, Aug. 29, 2025 (Check for September 2025)
-
Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025 (Check for October 2025)
-
Friday, Oct. 31, 2025 (Check for November 2025)
-
Monday, Dec. 1, 2025 (Check for December 2025)
-
Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025 (Check for January 2026)
SSI recipients will get their March 2025 payment on Feb. 28, and their April 2025 payment on April 1, according to the 2025 SSA calendar. That means SSI recipients will not get a payment during the calendar month of March.
Since 99% of beneficiaries are paid electronically, the March 2025 SSI payment should arrive Friday, Feb. 28. The Social Security Administration suggests if you don’t receive your payment on the expected date, allow three additional mailing days before contacting the agency.