The Social Security Administration has implemented recent changes under President Donald Trump, including monthly benefit increases for some recipients and a plan to phase out paper checks by fall. Despite these updates, millions of Americans are expected to receive their Social Security payments for May.
USA Today reported that President Donald Trump has floated proposals to reform Social Security, focusing on eliminating taxes on benefits. However, he has not officially made it law. He signed an executive order to end issuing physical checks by Sept. 30. The administration will make exceptions for beneficiaries who do not have a checking account.
Social Security payments are issued to recipients on Wednesdays throughout the month. If you have a birthdate between the 1st and 10th, you will receive your payment on the second Wednesday of the month on May 14; between the 11th and 20th, you will receive your payment on the third Wednesday, May 21; and if your birthdate is after the 20th, you will receive your payment on the fourth Wednesday of the month on May 28, according to the Social Security Administration’s payment calendar.
Supplemental Security Income recipients received their payments on Thursday, May 1. According to the SSA website, if your payment does not arrive as expected, the SSA recommends waiting three additional mailing days before contacting the agency.
Here’s everything recipients need to know about May’s payment schedule and for the remainder of the year.
May 2025 Social Security payment schedule
The Social Security Administration provides its annual payment schedule to assist recipients with budget planning. Regular Social Security retirement benefits will be distributed on the standard schedule, according to Blavity and USA Today.
- Wednesday, May 14: Birthdates between the 1st and 10th
- Wednesday, May 21: Birthdates between the 11th and 20th
- Wednesday, May 28: Birthdates between the 21st and 31st
SSI beneficiaries will get two checks in May
SSI beneficiaries will receive two checks in May. The first, for May 2025, is due on May 1, while the second, for June, is due May 30. This occurs because payments are issued early when the 1st of the month falls on a weekend or federal holiday, according to the SSI payment calendar.
SSI provides payments to individuals age 65 or older, blind or with a qualifying disability, and children with a qualifying disability. The Austin American-Statesman reported that 7.4 million Americans received SSI benefits in April. About half of those also receive Social Security.
SSI payment schedule for 2025:
- Thursday, May 1, 2025: May payment
- Friday, May 30, 2025: June payment
- Tuesday, July 1, 2025: July payment
- Friday, Aug. 1, 2025: August payment
- Friday, Aug. 29, 2025: September payment
- Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025: October payment
- Friday, Oct. 31, 2025: November payment
- Monday, Dec. 1, 2025: December payment
- Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025: January 2026 payment
Certain folks will receive three checks
As Newsweek reports, “In some cases, beneficiaries may get three checks this month. If a recipient collects both retirement benefits and SSI and they were born before May 1997, they will be paid SSI on the 1st, retirement benefits on the 2nd, and another round of SSI on the 30th.”
