Social Security is sending out checks for up to $1,000 on Friday, Feb. 28: find out if you’re getting one
In the U.S., the Social Security Administration has one last batch of payments to make before the end of February.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) is close to completing this month’s schedule of benefits payments.
Who receives Social Security payments in the U.S.?
Throughout February, the SSA has been sending out checks across the United States to retired workers, disabled workers, recipients of survivors’ payments, and people on Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits.
Who is still to be paid in February 2025?
The SSA has now made most of February’s payments for the above programs. Today, Wednesday, February 26, the agency was scheduled to distribute the month’s final set of retirement, disability and survivors' checks.
That leaves the SSA with one final round of checks still to be paid before March arrives: This Friday, February 28, next month’s SSI money is due to go out slightly early.
Why are March’s SSI checks being paid out early?
SSI beneficiaries are normally issued their checks on the first of the month. However, payment is brought forward if the month begins on a weekend day or a holiday.
As March 1 is a Saturday, the SSA will distribute next month’s SSI payments on the nearest working day before then, which is February 28.
As February 1 was also a weekend day, this month’s SSI checks were likewise paid early, on January 31.
The SSA will resume its regular SSI payment schedule in April, which begins on a working day: Tuesday, April 1.
How much do SSI recipients get in 2025?
The top monthly amount paid to an individual SSI recipient is around the $1,000 mark: to be precise, the maximum check has increased to $967 in 2025, following the implementation of this year’s cost-of-living adjustment (COLA).
Eligible couples get a joint SSI check for a maximum of $1,450 a month in 2025, while eligible essential people can claim monthly payments of up to $484.
Who receives SSI benefits?
A scheme that is different from other Social Security benefits programs as it is needs-based rather than contribution-based, SSI is aimed at Americans who have little or no income, and are over 65 or have a disability.
As of January 2025, just under 7.4 million people were paid benefits as part of the SSI program.
When are other Social Security beneficiaries paid?
For most non-SSI beneficiaries, checks were paid out on one of three Wednesdays in February, under a staggered payment system in which a beneficiary’s payment date is determined by their date of birth.
As noted above, the final set of Wednesday payments was due today, as part of the following timeline:
- Wednesday, February 12, 2025: Recipients born between the 1st and the 10th of month
- Wednesday, February 19, 2025: Recipients born between the 11th and the 20th of month
- Wednesday, February 26, 2025: Recipients born between the 21st and the 31st of month
Along with SSI recipients, these are the exceptions to this schedule:
The schedule above does not apply to certain long-term Social Security beneficiaries.
Retired workers, disabled workers and survivors' pay recipients who began getting benefits before May 1997 are always paid on the third day of the month, regardless of what day their birthday is on. These beneficiaries received their February checks on Monday 3rd.
What’s more, Americans who receive both SSI and regular Social Security benefits were also paid the latter on February 3, having been issued their SSI money on January 31.
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