Social Security payments on 20 September: who will receive them?

On Wednesday 20 September, the US’s Social Security Administration (SSA) will send out a fresh round of payments to certain recipients of Social Security benefits.

How much are Social Security payments in 2023?

Retired workers, who account for around three-quarters of the 67 million Social Security beneficiaries in the US, were paid an average monthly check of $1,840 in August 2023, the SSA says. Disabled workers received $1,486 on average, and Americans on survivor benefits got an average of $1,454.

How does the Social Security payment schedule work?

Because of the large number of payments that the SSA has to process each month, Social Security checks are sent out in batches determined by the recipient’s date of birth.

Beneficiaries born between 1st and 10th of the month receive their money on the second Wednesday of each month; those born between 11th and 20th get their checks on the third Wednesday; and those born between 21st and 31st are paid on the fourth Wednesday.

As 20 September is the third Wednesday of the month, this week’s payments will be going out to Social Security beneficiaries whose dates of birth begin 11 through 20. On 27 September, recipients born between 21st and 31st will get their money.

Exceptions to Social Security schedule

The above timeline doesn’t include retirement recipients who began seeking their pension before May 1997, or Social Security beneficiaries who belong to the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) scheme.

Double SSI payment in September

You might also be interested to know that SSI beneficiaries will be paid twice in September, as the SSA brings forward the following month’s payment date if it falls on a weekend.

SSI benefits are normally paid on the first of the month, but as October begins with a Sunday, SSI checks for the month are to be issued on Friday 29 September.