The month of September has already rolled in and with it comes the anxious wait for the next social security checks for millions of Americans. For someone on a tight budget with a single source of income, knowing the exact payment date is extremely important.
That’s why every month, more than 70 million Americans like to keep track of the distribution of social security benefits.
September is bringing not only the regular scheduled payments but also has some changes that are noteworthy. Beneficiaries should keep these changes and exceptions in mind.
The Social Security Administration sends out the retirement, disability, and survivor benefits according to recipients’ birth dates:
- Recipients born between the 1st and 10th of a month will receive their payment on Wednesday, September 10, 2025.
- Those with their birthdays between the 11th and 20th will get their social security on Wednesday, September 17, 2025.
- Anyone born between the 21st and 31st will receive payment on Wednesday, September 24, 2025.
This is called a staggered system and was adopted years ago. This was planned and implemented to make sure that the SSA is able to distribute funds without overwhelming banks and the processing systems to minimize the extent of human errors.
Every month hundreds of thousands of recipients also receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI). These payments are usually released on the first of each month. However, since September 1 fell on Labor Day, these payments were postponed and were delivered earlier, on August 29. It fell on Friday.
Beneficiaries of SSI were informed of this change well in advance to avoid any kind of confusion and monetary issues.
This adjustment also meant that those who receive SSI benefits received two payments in August and will not receive any in September. Even if this caused some confusion, the total annual amount for recipients did not change.
SSDI or social security checks for September will come along with some added changes. These developments would impact many households.
- COLA Increase: Beginning in January 2025, a 2.5% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) was added that raised monthly checks by an average of $50. Beneficiaries will continue to see that boost in their September payments.
- Paper Check Phase-Out: The SSA will end paper check distribution by the end of September. All the beneficiaries must create their online account. After September, benefits must be received via direct deposit or a government-approved debit card, such as Direct Express. There will be a few exceptions, which will require special approval.
- Overpayment Recovery: SSA has reported billions of dollars being distributed in overpayments to millions of recipients in SSDI payments. To address these years of miscalculations in benefits, the SSA is now set to recover funds more aggressively.
However, instead of withholding entire checks that can potentially cause mass panic among older people, the agency has limited recoveries to 50% of a monthly payment. It will definitely be a significant hit for some, but it will be less severe than full withholding.
If any of the recipients do not get their checks or deposits on the expected date, SSA has some recommendations.
- First, check with your bank and ensure that it isn’t a posting delay.
- If the issue isn’t resolved, call the SSA at 1-800-772-1213 or visit your local Social Security office.
With inflation, everything has become extremely expensive. There is a rise in medical costs, and even though there are ongoing adjustments to Social Security processes, it is still important to stay up to date on payment schedules. It is also important to be aware of any changes in benefits.
September’s early SSI payment and regular retirement distribution will follow predictable patterns. However, the added layers of COLA increase, changes in delivery methods, and recovering overpayments make it more important than ever to track information closely.
