Social Security payments are set to arrive on February 18. However, not everyone will receive their check on the same date, as the payments generally follow a structured schedule based on birth dates. The payments also vary based on a recipient’s work history and age, with the maximum benefits reaching up to $5,181 for high earners.
In February, the usual payment schedule could vary because of federal holidays and the calendar. February 16 was Presidents’ Day and the month also has fewer days – this automatically changes the payment timings.
However, the holiday will not directly change the Social Security payment dates. It might cause delays in bank processing, especially for recipients who opted for paper checks instead of direct deposit into their accounts.
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Meanwhile, the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payment timeline was also hampered this month. SSI checks are usually issued on the first of the month. However, since February 1 was a Sunday, the payments were deposited on Monday, February 2.
People who started receiving benefits before May 1997 fall into a different payment schedule than other beneficiaries. The same is also applied to those who only receive SSI benefits.
The administration issues Social Security payments following a structured birth date schedule. Retirees and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) recipients who began receiving their benefits before May 1997 usually get their checks on Wednesdays. However, there are more divisions according to birth dates.
Those born between the first and 10th of a month are paid on the second Wednesday, which is February 11. People born between the 11th and 20th will receive their checks on the third Wednesday of the month, which is February 18. Lastly, those born between the 21st and 31st will receive their benefits on the fourth Wednesday, which is February 25.
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Social Security payment groups include retirees, people with disabilities, low-income SSI recipients and survivors of deceased workers. Each of these groups has different eligibility requirements. Additionally, the payment schedule also varies between the groups.
Retired people can apply for benefits as soon as they turn 62, but they will only receive full benefits after reaching the complete retirement age of 66 or 67, based on their birth year. SSI recipients, on the other hand, must be 65 or older or have a disability. They must meet the strict income and asset limit criteria.
