If you rely on Social Security benefits to help you pay bills, buy groceries and make mortgage payments, it can be helpful to know when to expect the money. Keeping track of the schedule also makes it easier to budget for your monthly expenses. But often, holidays or weekends result in payments being shifted beyond their usual date. To help with your own financial planning this month, keep reading to learn when your Social Security check for September 2025 is being mailed out. Plus, find out about the policy change that goes into effect at the end of the month.

When are Social Security payments sent?

Social Security payments are sent out on a monthly basis, but this day is not the same for all recipients. In fact, the sheer amount of people receiving benefits means that payments need to be staggered to ensure everyone can get paid on time.

Though this may sound confusing, the payments do follow a specific schedule each month. For many older and retired Americans, benefits are sent on a certain week based on the day they were born. 

The Social Security Administration Payment Calendar for 2025 shows that benefits are paid on the:

• Second Wednesday for those born on the 1st through the 10th
• Third Wednesday for those born on the 11th through the 20th
• Fourth Wednesday for those born on the 21st through the 31st

In some cases, the payments deviate from this Wednesday schedule. Anyone who began receiving Social Security benefits (retirement, spousal or survivor ) before May 1997 is actually paid on the third of each month rather than a specific day of the week. 

Those who get both Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits have a slightly different schedule too. For these Americans, Social Security checks are sent on the third day of the month and their SSI benefits are paid on the first day.

It’s not uncommon for people to be eligible for both Social Security and SSI, but there are some key differences. SSI was designed to help individuals who earn less than $2,019 from work each month or have less than $2,000 (for singles) or $3,000 (for couples) worth of resources available. There are also other criteria to qualify, such as being blind, having a disability or being at least 65 years old.

Social Security, on the other hand, has no income cap–instead it’s based solely on earnings. You also only need to be of a certain age to be eligible for benefits.

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The September 2025 Social Security payment schedule

Though some beneficiaries are receiving an extra check in August, the opposite is true for September; one payment that’s normally on the schedule will not be sent this month.

The reason for the unusual schedule: Labor Day. Normally, anyone who gets both Social Security and SSI sees the benefits paid on two different days. As previously mentioned, this is traditionally SSI on the first of any given month and Social Security on the third. 

In 2025, September 1 falls on the holiday, so the Social Security Administration has moved up payment day for those individuals to Friday, August 29. The SSI payments are still going out, but recipients will not be receiving them in September like they usually would. 

Here’s a list of when Social Security checks are being sent in Septembers:

• Wednesday, September 3: Payments for retirees born before 1997 and Social Security benefits for those who receive both SS and SSI

• Wednesday, September 10: Those born between 1st and the 10th

• Wednesday, September 17: Those born between the 11th and the 20th

• Wednesday, September 24: Those born between the 21st and the 31st

In October, the usual five payments for the month will be sent as normal. 

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Social Security policy change: paper checks are ending

With October comes a big change to Social Security payment policy: the discontinuing of paper checks after September 30. Any beneficiaries who are still receiving their payments in the mail will be switched over to electronic methods.

If you are someone who has not yet made the switch, the administration should have contacted you about how to transition to the new payment method. It’s anticipated that most beneficiaries will be signing up for direct deposit. This option allows the SSA to deposit payments directly into the recipient’s checking or savings accounts.

Anyone who does not have a bank account will instead get their payments via a Direct Express Card. This prepaid debit card gives Americans access to their federal benefit payments even if they don’t have an account with a bank or credit union. 

For direct deposit sign-up, you can log into your online account via Login.gov or ID.me, visit a Social Security field office or call 1-800-772-1213. If you need to enroll in the Direct Express option, call the U.S. Treasury Electronic Payment Solution Center at 1-877-874-6347.