In April 2025, Social Security payments are distributed on various dates based on the beneficiary’s criteria, such as date of birth or special status under certain programs. The Social Security Administration (SSA) uses a schedule that groups beneficiaries on at least four dates to prevent program saturation and errors.
Beneficiaries who claimed Social Security retirement benefits before May 1997 received payments on April 3, the first of the month. This group also includes the surviving relatives of deceased beneficiaries who inherited the payments after their deaths.
Other groups receiving their Social Security payments on April 3
April 3: This day is reserved for beneficiaries with special statuses, including:
- Those who applied for benefits before May 1997.
- People living in a foreign country.
- Those who receive both Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security, with Social Security payments on the 3rd and SSI on the 1st of each month.
- Beneficiaries whose Medicare premiums are paid by the state.
Three additional Social Security payment dates in April 2025
The sum of these groups accounts for a very small percentage of total beneficiaries, but there are three other majority groups that make up the vast majority of the nearly 70 million federal beneficiaries who receive these payments across the country.
- April 9 (second Wednesday): Corresponds to beneficiaries whose birthday falls between the 1st and 10th of the month. This group includes most retirees who began receiving benefits after May 1997.
- April 16 (third Wednesday): This day is for those who have birthdays from the 11th to the 20th of the month, also post-May 1997.
- April 23 (fourth Wednesday): Covers beneficiaries with birthdays between the 21st and 31st of the month, completing the distribution based on date of birth for the remainder of the month.
Maximum Social Security benefits by age
The maximum amounts vary by age at retirement, and are based on the highest taxable income earned between the ages of 22 and retirement in January. Here are the amounts for 2025.
- At age 62: $2,831 (Reduction for early retirement, assumed at age 62 and 1 month).
- At age 65: $3,374 (Early retirement for 2003 onwards, at exactly age 65.).
- At age 66: $3,795 (Normal retirement age for those born between 1943 and 1954).
- At age 67: $4,043 (Normal age for those born in 1960 or later, maximum at this age for many).
- At age 70: $5,108 (maximum with late payment credits).
This being the case, you will be aware that if your income is high and you delay retirement until the age of 70, your monthly check will increase from $2,831 to $5,108 for the remainder of your life. The average benefit for January 2025, the most recent data available, is $1,976.
