Your September Social Security checks will begin arriving on the third of the month and will continue through Wednesday, the 24th. 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.
You also have a specific payment date if you received benefits before May 1997. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments are distributed monthly, usually on the first day of the month.
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The Social Security Administration (SSA) prepares payment schedules before checks are sent, ensuring you receive your payments on time. The recent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), implemented in January, is factored into the current payment.
That means that starting this past January, you should have seen a slight uptick in your monthly Social Security checks. 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 2.5% is down from a 3.2% COLA in 2024, but in line with the average 2.6% increase in the past two decades.
Here's when you will see your September 2025 payments.
The September 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.
If your payment date falls on a weekend or holiday, you’ll receive your payment early. Payments will be issued on the weekday immediately prior to your expected payment date.
September Social Security payment dates
These are the dates you can expect your monthly payments for September 2025:
- People who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) will receive two payments in August 2025. The second payment, you will receive on August 29, is for September.
- September 3: You'll receive a Social Security payment on September 3rd if:
- You live outside the U.S.
- You receive both SSI and Social Security benefits
- Your state pays your Medicare premiums
- Or you filed for Social Security benefits before 1997
- September 10: You should receive your Social Security payment on the second Wednesday of the month if your birthday falls on any day from the first to the 10th of your birth month.
- September 17: If your birthday falls on any day from the 11th to the 20th of your birth month, you’ll get your Social Security payment on the third Wednesday of the month.
- September 24: You’ll get your Social Security payment on the fourth Wednesday of the month if your birthday falls after the 20th of your birth month.
For a more detailed 2025 schedule, see our story, Social Security Payment Schedule for 2025
Bigger checks this past April
The SSA started sending out bigger monthly checks in April, thanks to the Social Security Fairness Act (SSFA), a law signed in January.
The SSFA eliminated the Government Pension Offset (GPO) and the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP), which were intended to prevent anyone with a pension from “double-dipping” on federal benefits.
Payments have now been recalculated for certain recipients. Retroactive lump sums were sent this past February, with higher monthly payments starting in April.
If you are affected by the repeal of the WEP, you should see an average increase of $360 in your monthly checks.
Spouses affected by the GPO repeal should see a $700 increase, and surviving spouses should get a $1,190 increase, on average.
If you qualify, the adjustment to your benefits will be automatic, so you do not need to do anything.
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.
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