Some Social Security benefit recipients will receive their monthly check slightly earlier next week.
Why It Matters
The Social Security Administration (SSA) pays out benefits to tens of millions of Americans every month, forming a bedrock of income for the retired and disabled. But because of the large number of beneficiaries, the payment dates are staggered, with different people receiving their monthly benefit at different times.
Benefits are usually paid at around the same time every month, but every so often payments will be brought forward because of public holidays and weekends.
What To Know
Supplemental Security Income (SSI), which is for people with disabilities or blindness and adults 65 and older who meet certain financial criteria, is typically on the first day of the month.
But the September payment will actually arrive a little earlier on Friday, August 29. This is because September 1 is Labor Day—a national holiday.
“When the first day of the month falls on the weekend or a Federal holiday, you receive your SSI payment on the last business day before the first day of the month. That means you may get two SSI payments in the same month,” the SSA explained in a 2022 blog post.
A file photo shows a Social Security card with dollar bills.
A file photo shows a Social Security card with dollar bills.
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“We do this to avoid putting you at a financial disadvantage and make sure that you don’t have to wait beyond the first of the month to get your payment. It does not mean that you are receiving a duplicate payment in the previous month, so you do not need to contact us to report the second payment.”
SSI payments will also be issued slightly earlier than usual for November, to account for the usual payment date falling on a weekend, and December, due to January 1, New Year’s Day, also being a national holiday.
The SSA advises waiting three working days before contacting the government agency if a payment hasn’t arrived as expected. Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays are not working days.
Further Payment Dates For September
For all other types of benefit—retirement, spousal and survivor—payments will be made according to the usual schedule. For most, this is paid according to your date of birth, but for those that have been collecting since May 1997 or also collect SSI benefits, your retirement check will arrive at the start of September.
Payments will be made on the following dates this September:
- Wednesday, September 3: Retirement, spousal and survivor benefits for those who also collect SSI.
- Wednesday, September 10: Retirement, spousal and survivor benefits for those born between the 1st and 10th of any calendar month.
- Wednesday, September 17: Benefits for those born between the 11th and 20th.
- Wednesday, September 24: Benefits for those with birthdays between the 21st and 31st.