When do I get my Social Security payment in September?

How does the Social Security payment calendar work?

If you collect retirement benefits or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), the payment date is determined by your birthday. If you get what Social Security calls “auxiliary benefits” on someone else’s earnings record — for example, a survivor benefit or spouse benefit —  your payment date is determined by that person’s birthday, not yours.

Here’s how it works:

• If the birthday is on the 1st through the 10th, you are paid on the second Wednesday of each month.
• If the birthday is on the 11th through the 20th, you are paid on the third Wednesday of the month.
• If the birthday is on the 21st through the 31st, you are paid on the fourth Wednesday of the month.

Why do payments go out on different days?

The Social Security Administration (SSA) adopted this staggered schedule in June 1997. Prior to that, all benefit payments went out on the third day of the month, but that became unwieldy as the number of beneficiaries grew.

Most people who started receiving benefits before May 1, 1997, are still paid on the third of the month. The third is also the monthly pay date for these groups of Social Security beneficiaries:

• Those who live abroad.
• Those enrolled in Medicare Savings Programs, which provide state financial help for paying Medicare premiums.
• Those who collect both Social Security and SSI, a safety-net benefit administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA) for people with low incomes and limited financial assets who are age 65 or older, blind or have a disability. If you are in this group, you get your SSI on the first of the month and your Social Security on the third.

Social Security has an online calendar showing all the payment dates for 2024.

What else should I know about Social Security payment dates?

Social Security no longer pays benefits by check. On the scheduled date, you will receive your benefits by direct deposit to a designated bank account or via a Direct Express debit card.

If a scheduled pay date falls on a weekend or federal holiday, payments are made on the first preceding day that isn’t a Saturday, Sunday or holiday.

If you don’t receive your benefit on time, the SSA recommends checking with your bank or financial institution first. It may be a delay in posting the payment on their end. To report a payment as late, missing or stolen, call Social Security at 800-772-1213 or contact your local SSA field office.