Social Security to send out payments today, Wednesday, Oct. 22: find out who’s getting a check

Today, the Social Security Administration (SSA) is due to complete the distribution of October’s Social Security benefits - although it is not the final payment run on the agency’s schedule for this month.

As certain November benefits are to be issued early, the SSA also has a round of checks scheduled for Friday, October 31. Find out more in this explainer.

Who’s receiving a Social Security payment today, Oct. 22?

Payments are to be made to particular recipients of retirement benefits, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or survivor pay.

Of the roughly 70 million people who claim retirement, SSDI or survivor benefits in the U.S., most get their payment on the second, third or fourth Wednesday in each month.

A recipient’s designated Wednesday is determined by the date of birth of the worker whose Social Security taxes have accumulated the benefits entitlement.

This Wednesday’s payments cover birthdays between the 21st and 31st of each month.

Who isn’t paid on the 2nd, 3rd or 4th Wednesday of the month?

• Some long-term Social Security beneficiaries

If you began claiming retirement, SSDI or survivor benefits before May 1997, your check typically goes out on the third day of each month, regardless of your date of birth.

These long-term beneficiaries were therefore scheduled to be paid their October money on Friday 3.

• SSI recipients

Beneficiaries of the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program - a separate SSA scheme for low-income individuals who are over 65 or have a disability - are normally paid on the first of each month.

This month’s SSI payments therefore went out on Wednesday, October 1.

• Dual beneficiaries (SSI + regular Social Security)

Around 2.5 million people in the U.S. claim both SSI and one of the SSA’s retirement, SSDI or survivor benefits.

These recipients were due to get the former on October 1, followed by the latter on October 3.

So the shutdown doesn’t affect Social Security payments?

No: The SSA has said the distribution of benefits “will continue with no change in payment dates”.

You can take a look at the agency’s complete benefits-distribution schedule for 2025 in this online calendar.

How much Social Security do retirees get per month?

Retired workers - who account for most of the U.S.’s Social Security beneficiaries - receive $2,008.31 per month on average, the SSA says. The maximum monthly retirement benefit stands at $5,108.

How much is paid to other SSA beneficiaries?

Disabled workers get an average of $1,582.95 a month, while beneficiaries of survivor pay receive a monthly average of $1,575.30. SSI recipients are issued $717.84 a month on average.

How are Social Security payments made?

Over 99% of checks are now paid electronically, as the SSA seeks to go fully paperless. Since September 30, indeed, the agency says recipients are “in most cases” no longer being given the option of being mailed a paper check.

The SSA offers its benefits recipients two methods of receiving electronic payments:

• Direct deposit

Beneficiaries can receive their money by direct deposit, by providing the agency with their bank details. You can supply this information on the “my Social Security” online portal.

• Debit Express Card

Recipients can also have their benefits paid onto the Direct Express Card, a special debit card for federal payments made to people without a bank account.

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