Social Security benefits will be paid this week to millions of recipients— are you one of them?
Why It Matters
The SSA distributes billions of dollars in benefits every month to nearly 70 million recipients, serving as a vital source of income for retirees nationwide.
Retirement checks are always issued throughout each calendar month, and are usually determined by the claimant’s birth date or the length of time they’ve been receiving benefits. Supplemental Security Income (SSI), which supports elderly, blind and disabled individuals with limited income and assets, is typically paid at the beginning of each month.
What To Know
This week, Social Security payments will be made on Wednesday, March 26, and are for those claimants who have a birthday that falls between the 20th and 31st of any calendar month.
This payment date does not apply to beneficiaries who have either been claiming since before May 1997, or those who also receive SSI. Benefit payments for both of these groups were made earlier this month.
How Much Social Security Can I Get?
How much you receive in Social Security benefits depends on several factors, including the age you start claiming and your highest-earning years.
On its website, the SSA explains: “The maximum benefit depends on the age you retire. For example, if you retire at full retirement age in 2025, your maximum benefit would be $4,018.
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“However, if you retire at age 62 in 2025, your maximum benefit would be $2,831. If you retire at age 70 in 2025, your maximum benefit would be $5,108.”
These figures represent the maximum benefits payable but the actual amount you receive may vary based on your lifetime earnings and the number of years you’ve contributed to Social Security taxes. In January 2025, the average retirement payment was $1,976.
Payment Dates for April 2025
Benefit payments will be made on the following dates next month:
- April 1: Supplemental Security Income (SSI) beneficiaries.
- April 3: Payments to those who have been collecting retirement benefits since before May 1997, and retirees who also collect SSI benefits.
- April 9: Benefits for those born between the 1st and 10th of any month.
- April 16: Benefits for those born between the 11th and 20th.
- April 23: Benefits for those born between the 21st and 31st.
What’s Next
In the coming weeks, the SSA is implementing several important changes that claimants should be aware of.
Starting March 31, benefit recipients will no longer be able to verify their identity with the SSA over the phone—a measure designed to prevent fraudulent redirection of payments.
In a major policy shift effective March 27, the SSA will once again withhold 100 percent of Social Security payments to recover overpayments. Previously, under the Biden administration, the clawback rate was limited to no more than 10 percent of a recipient’s monthly benefits.