Until you get the hang of it, the timing of Social Security payments can be a bit confusing. After all, not all recipients get paid on the same date, and if you receive Supplemental Security Income, or SSI, that throws another wrinkle into the equation.
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September 2025 might raise additional questions for beneficiaries, as Labor Day falls on the first day of the month, Monday, Sept. 1. But worry not — with one small change, the Social Security schedule for September is exactly the same as it usually is. Here’s what you’ll need to know.
Timetable for September 2025 Social Security Payments
According to the Social Security Administration (SSA), there are three different payment dates in each month. The timing of your payment depends on your date of birth, as follows:
- Born between the first and the 10th of the month: Payments are made on the second Wednesday of the month.
- Born between the 11th and 20th: Payments are made on the third Wednesday of the month.
- Born between the 21st and the end of the month: Payments are made on the fourth Wednesday of the month.
For September, that breaks down as follows:
- Born first to 10th: Payment on Sept. 10
- Born 11th to 20th: Payment on Sept. 17
- Born 21st to end of month: Payment on Sept. 24
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Calendar Rule Exceptions
The calendar rule for standard Social Security benefits, as laid out above, is fairly straightforward. However, as with any rules-based system, there are exceptions. In fact, a large number of beneficiaries receive their payments on the third of every month, regardless of when their date of birth.
Here are the types of beneficiaries that fall under this rule, according to the SSA:
- You first received Social Security before May 1997;
- You are receiving both Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments;
- Your Medicare premiums are paid by the state in which you live;
- You live in a foreign country; or
- You are a recipient of tax levy case payments, garnished payments, tax levy case payments, or payments made via the critical payment system.
Important to note is that SSI payments are made on the first of every month. In September 2025, however, the first of the month is also the Labor Day holiday. In this scenario, the SSA makes payment on the first business day prior to the first of the month. For September, this means SSI payments were made on Friday, Aug. 29th.
Average Social Security Payments in 2025
As of July 2025, the average Social Security retirement payment was $2,006.69, per the SSA. Meanwhile, the average SSI payment for all beneficiaries was $716.09.
Inflation Adjustments for 2026
Every October, the SSA announces the annual cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, for benefit payments. As of August 2025, the best estimates are that the COLA for 2026 will be approximately 2.7%, according to CNBC. That would adjust the average monthly retirement benefit up to $2,060.87. The average SSI payment would rise to about $735.42.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Social Security September 2025: When Your Checks Will Arrive
