Another round of Social Security benefits will be paid in September—but when are you going to receive yours?
Why It Matters
More than 70 million Americans rely on the Social Security Administration (SSA) for monthly income, whether through retirement benefits or disability assistance. Given the scale of the program, payments are staggered throughout the month rather than distributed all at once.
When Are Social Security Payments Coming in September 2025?
Most retirees get their Social Security checks on a schedule tied to their birthday. But there are exceptions: anyone who started collecting retirement, spousal or survivor benefits before May 1997, or who also receives Supplemental Security Income (SSI), follows a different timetable. SSI is a federal safety-net program that issues monthly payments to low-income seniors 65 and older, as well as people who are blind or living with disabilities.
Checks will be issued on the following dates this September:
- Friday, August 29: SSI payments. This payment would usually come on the first of the month for September. However, because September 1 falls on Labor Day, a national holiday, the payment will be made slightly earlier.
- Wednesday, September 3: Retirement, spousal and survivor benefits for those who also collect SSI.
- Wednesday, September 10: Retirement, spousal and survivor benefits for those born between the 1st and 10th of any calendar month.
- Wednesday, September 17: Benefits for those born between the 11th and 20th.
- Wednesday, September 24: Benefits for those with birthdays between the 21st and 31st.
How Much Is Social Security?
In May 2025, the Social Security Administration reported that the average retirement benefit rose to $2,002.39, marking the first time the figure has exceeded $2,000. SSI, which supports roughly 7.4 million recipients, averaged $718.30 per month.
Benefit amounts differ from person-to-person, however. Retirement payments are determined by a worker’s 35 highest-earning years, adjusted for inflation, and by the age at which benefits are first claimed. In 2025, the maximum monthly payment is $4,018 at the full retirement age of 67. Claiming early at age 62 reduces the maximum to $2,831, while delaying until age 70 raises the maximum available benefit to $5,108.
Latest Social Security News
On August 14, the Social Security program celebrated its 90th anniversary, and marked the most recent changes enacted since the start of the Trump administration. The SSA said its “digital-first” overhaul has improved access and efficiency. Americans now have 24/7 use of “my Social Security” accounts and website downtime has been cut, with average phone wait times dropping from 30 minutes in 2024 to single digits, and field office waits down 30 percent. Nearly 90 percent of calls are now resolved through self-service or callbacks.
However, Democrats and Social Security advocacy groups have criticized the Trump administration’s handling of the agency. Earlier this year, the SSA announced plans to cut staff numbers from 57,000 to 50,000, while the involvement of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) at the agency has prompted concerns about recipient privacy.
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