When Social Security Recipients Will Get Their Checks in September
After a wonky August that saw two SSI payments, Social Security recipients can expect a semi-normal September payment calendar.
Roughly 68 million Americans receive Social Security benefits every month, including almost 9 out of every 10 people age 65 and up. Social Security 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 payments for those various demographics vary, but data from January shows the typical retirement benefit was $1,907.
When will I get my September Social Security payment?
Your Social Security payment date is determined by your birthday.
If you were born on the first through the 10th, you can expect to get your Social Security check on the second Wednesday of every month — in this case, Sept. 11.
If you were born on the 11th through the 20th, you can expect to get your Social Security check on the third Wednesday of every month — in this case, Sept. 18.
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, Sept. 25.
Regardless of your birthday, Supplemental Security Income, or SSI, payments usually go out on the first — but that's not the case this month. Sept. 1 falls on a Sunday, and whenever this happens, the Social Security Administration sends out checks on the previous business day. That's Friday, Aug. 30.
This means there were technically two SSI payments in August and none in September. The next SSI check is scheduled to be sent on Oct. 1.
Folks who get both SSI and Social Security, as well those who claimed Social Security prior to May 1997, can expect their Social Security payments like usual on Sept. 3.
Where is my September 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 the SSA payment schedule for 2024?
You can find the SSA's payment calendar on its website. It largely follows the schedule laid out above, but as you can tell, some months are different. In addition to there being no SSI payment in September, there will be two in November due to the way the calendar is.
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).
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 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.
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