When Social Security Recipients Will Get Their Checks in March
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Spring is just around the corner — and so are Social Security payments, which will follow a relatively normal schedule in March.
Roughly 68 million Americans receive Social Security benefits every month, including about 9 out of every 10 people age 65 and up. Funds aren't just for older folks, though. Payments go out to retirees, survivors of late workers, those with little to no resources, disabled workers, the blind, dependents and more.
The average Social Security payments for those various groups of people vary, but data from January shows the typical retirement benefit was about $1,929.
When will I get my March Social Security payment?
Your Social Security payment date is determined by your birthday.
If you were born on the first through the 10th of the month, you can expect to get your Social Security check on the second Wednesday of every month — in this case, March 12.
If you were born on the 11th through the 20th of the month, you can expect to get your Social Security check on the third Wednesday of every month — in this case, March 19.
If you were born on the 21st through the 31st, you can expect to get your Social Security check on the fourth Wednesday of every month — in this case, March 26.
Supplemental Security Income, or SSI, payments typically go out on the first of the month. But because March 1 falls on a Saturday, the payments have been moved up to Friday (Feb. 28).
Folks who get both SSI and Social Security, as well those who initially claimed Social Security prior to May 1997, should get their Social Security benefits on the third of the month as per usual.
Where is my March Social Security payment?
Check the payment schedule above.
If you think your money is missing, you can reach out to the Social Security Administration (SSA). The SSA has both local offices and a toll-free national number. The national phone number is 1-800-772-1213. Representatives are available weekdays from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time. Pro tip: The agency says wait times are shortest in the morning, late in the week and late in the month.
In any case, the SSA asks that you wait three mailing days before contacting it about a missing Social Security payment.
What is Elon Musk's DOGE doing with Social Security?
President Donald Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, acting as head of the Department of Government Efficiency, have been on a quest to slash what they see as excessive government spending.
In January, the Office of Management and Budget put out, and then rescinded, a memo telling agencies to temporarily pause federal financial assistance programs and evaluate their costs. But the memo specifically mentioned that "nothing" in it "should be construed to impact Medicare or Social Security benefits."
Then, on Feb. 11, Musk said he'd found "crazy things" in a "cursory examination" of the Social Security system, including "people in there that are 150 years old." This is not entirely true: Although improper payments do (occasionally) go out, there are not 150-year-olds receiving benefits.
"Obviously, we want to make sure that people who deserve to receive Social Security do receive it, and that they receive it quickly and accurately," Musk added.
Michelle King, the acting commissioner of the Social Security Administration, later resigned after clashing with Musk over his access to records. Leland Dudek has been swapped in while Trump's full-time pick, Frank Bisignano, undergoes Senate confirmation.
It's impossible to say with certainty how, or whether, DOGE will affect Social Security and its benefit programs. We'll continue to monitor the situation.
What is the SSA payment schedule for 2025?
You can find the SSA's 2025 payment calendar on its website. It largely follows the schedule laid out above, but as you can tell, some months are different.
For instance, SSI checks for March will go out Feb. 28, and then there won't be another SSI payment until April.
To learn more about your payment status or to get additional help with Medicare, retirement benefits, disability, SSI and more, make a "my Social Security" account for free at SSA.gov.
How do I calculate my Social Security payment?
Benefits are generally calculated according to your average indexed monthly earnings, which include up to 35 years of your highest-earning years. The SSA then applies a formula to determine your primary insurance amount.
The amount of money retirees actually receive depends partially on their age. Though you can start getting Social Security retirement payments at 62 years old, the longer you wait to claim Social Security, the higher your payments will be (until age 70, when the increases stop).
For many Americans, this money is crucial — Social Security accounts for about 30% of the income received by folks over age 65. As people live longer and legislators wrestle over future of Social Security, the cost of retirement for retirees is surging: In 2022, federal data shows retired households spent an average of $54,975, including $11,186 on shelter, $8,065 on transportation and $7,505 on health care.
More from Money:
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