The Social Security Administration (SSA) will send out its next round of payments on Wednesday, May 21, 2025, to eligible beneficiaries. Due to the way Wednesdays fall this month, some recipients will see their payments arrive later than usual.
Who gets paid on May 21?
If your birthday falls between the 11th and 20th of any month and you began receiving Social Security retirement or SSDI benefits after April 30, 1997, you are scheduled to receive your monthly payment on May 21.
This date applies to beneficiaries not receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Those on SSI or who started receiving Social Security before May 1997 follow a different schedule.
May 2025 Social Security payment schedule
- May 14: Payment for beneficiaries born between the 1st and 10th
- May 21: Payment for those born between the 11th and 20th
- May 28: Payment for those born between the 21st and 31st
Beneficiaries who started receiving payments before May 1997 typically get paid on the third of the month, which was May 3 this year. SSI recipients received their first check on May 1 and will get a second payment on May 30, due to June 1 falling on a weekend.
SSI recipients to get a second May payment
In a rare occurrence, SSI recipients will receive two checks in May. The second check, scheduled for May 30, is an advance payment for June. This happens because June 1 falls on a Sunday, and the SSA does not issue payments on weekends.
This change affects about 7.4 million Americans who rely on SSI—half of whom also receive regular Social Security benefits.
What if your payment is delayed?
The SSA advises waiting three business days after your scheduled payment date before contacting the agency about a missing check. Since 99% of payments are sent electronically, delays are uncommon but possible due to bank holidays or account issues.
Looking ahead to June payments
Here is the SSA’s payment schedule for June 2025:
- June 3: For those receiving both SSI and Social Security, or who began benefits before May 1997
- June 11: For birthdays between the 1st and 10th
- June 18: For birthdays between the 11th and 20th
- June 25: For birthdays between the 21st and 31st
How much can you receive?
The maximum possible Social Security benefit in 2025 is:
- $5,108 if you retired at age 70
- $4,018 if you retired at full retirement age (FRA)
- $2,831 if you retired at age 62
The average retiree payment is around $1,999, and SSDI recipients receive about $1,581 on average.
These figures will remain unchanged until the next cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) takes effect in January 2026.
Key takeaways
- The May 21 payment is for beneficiaries with birthdays between the 11th and 20th.
- A second SSI payment is scheduled for May 30 due to a calendar adjustment.
- Payments are rarely delayed but contact the SSA if yours hasn’t arrived three business days after your scheduled date.
- The next round of payments begins June 3 for early filers and joint beneficiaries.
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