March Social Security checks began arriving on the third of the month and will continue through the 31st. When your first payment arrives depends on your birthday.
Beneficiaries who filed claims after May 1, 1997, and receive retirement, disability or survivor benefits are paid on either the second, third, or fourth Wednesday of the month. If you received benefits before May 1997, you also have a specific payment date. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments are distributed monthly, usually on the first day of the month.
The Social Security Administration prepares its payment schedules well in advance of checks being sent out. This ensures you receive your payments on time. For March, the recent cost of living adjustment (COLA), implemented in January, is factored in.
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
That means you should see a small uptick in your monthly Social Security checks, which should have started in January. The 2.5% cost-of-living (COLA) increase added a little less than $50 to the average monthly benefit of about $1,900, according to the SSA. That’s down from a 3.2% COLA in 2024, but in line with the average 2.6% increase over the past two decades.
So, when will you see your March 2025 payment?
The March Social Security payment calendar
If you collect Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or retirement benefits, your benefit payment date is determined by your birthday. If you get auxiliary benefits on someone else’s earnings record, spousal or survivor benefits, for example, your payment date is determined by that person’s birthday, not yours.
March Social Security payment dates
These are the dates you can expect your monthly payments in March 2025:
- March 3: You will receive your Social Security payment on this date if you also receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI), if your state pays your Medicare premiums, you live outside of the U.S., or you have been receiving Social Security since before May 1, 1997.
- March 12: You will receive your Social Security payment on the 12th, the second Wednesday of the month, if your birthday is between the 1st and 10th of your birth month.
- March 19: You should receive your Social Security payment on the third Wednesday in March if your birthday is between the 11th and the 20th of your birth month.
- March 26: If your birthday falls after the 20th of your birth month, you should get your Social Security payment on the fourth Wednesday in March.
Note: When the first day of the month falls on a weekend, your Social Security payment will go out on the last Friday of the previous month. That means that SSI recipients received their March payment on Friday, Feb. 28.
For a more detailed 2025 schedule, see our story, Social Security Payment Schedule for 2025
How to report a missing Social Security payment
If you don’t receive your electronic payments on the scheduled date, contact your bank or financial institution. Sometimes, the Social Security Administration experiences a delay in posting your payment.
If you still need help, call the Social Security Administration at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) or contact your local Social Security office.
Want more guidance on retirement savings? Sign up for Kiplinger's six-week series, Invest for Retirement.
Related Content
- The Average Social Security Check by Age
- Social Security Basics: 12 Things You Must Know About Claiming and Maximizing Your Social Security Benefits
- Boost Your Social Security Benefit Every Month You Delay
- When To Take Social Security Payments: Your Age is Key
- Retirement Calculator: How Much Do I Need to Retire?
-
Stock Market Today: Dow Adds 485 Points After Trump's Tariff DelayThe White House said it will postpone tariffs on automotive imports from Canada and Mexico for one month.
-
Why Abolishing Florida Property Taxes is ProblematicProperty Taxes A bold proposal that aims to eliminate property taxes in the Sunshine State has roused concerns from economists, and rightly so.
-
The 'Die With Zero' Rule of RetirementIf spending makes you nervous, the 'Die With Zero' rule might be for you. Because you don’t want to be the richest person in the graveyard.
-
10 Ways to Refine Your Financial Plan for a More Secure FutureSignificant benefits throughout the rest of the year can be had if you take some time now to revisit your financial plan and adjust accordingly.
-
The Most Important Number for a Business Owner Considering a SaleCompany owners hoping to sell and stop working won't know whether an offer on their business is good enough unless they know their 'wealth gap.'Evan
-
Should You Retire Now or Work Five More Years?How to decide if an extra five years is worth it.
-
Dividing an Estate? Five Ways to Create TransparencyLetting your children know your intentions while you're still around to explain your reasoning, and while you can make adjustments, can limit discontent later.
-
With High Yields, Do Treasury Bonds Belong in Your Retirement Portfolio?How Treasury bonds can protect your retirement nest egg. The upside, risk and low-down on T-bonds.
-
Planning for Healthcare Costs: How Financial Advisers Can Guide Their ClientsHere are five ways financial professionals can advise clients to take a strategic approach to their healthcare costs today to help safeguard their tomorrow.
-
Retire in Thailand Where 'The White Lotus' Was FilmedYou can retire in Thailand without the hit show's murder and mayhem. Here is how to find real estate bargains and live large with a lower cost of living.
