On February 12, 2025, the Social Security Administration (SSA) will issue a new payment to eligible beneficiaries. To qualify for this payment, recipients must have started receiving their Social Security benefits after May 1997. The date of birth also plays a role in determining the payment date, with those born between the 1st and 10th of any month set to receive their checks on February 12th.
Beneficiaries who have Direct Deposit activated as their collection method will receive their payments sooner. For those who began receiving Social Security benefits before May 1997, payments are generally issued on the 3rd day of each month, with some exceptions. The maximum payment that Social Security recipients can expect in February 2025 is $5,180.
However, not all Americans will receive the maximum amount. By fulfilling the specified requirements and having Direct Deposit set up, eligible beneficiaries can look forward to the new Social Security payment on February 12th. The first round of February’s Social Security payments, worth up to $5,108 for those who retire at age 70, will be distributed in nine days.
Several factors impact how much beneficiaries receive from Social Security, including the age of retirement, the amount paid into the system, and the number of years contributions were made. Social Security payments are typically distributed on the second Wednesday of each month, with subsequent waves following in the next couple of weeks.
Social Security’s February payment dates explained
The exact date of distribution depends on the retiree’s birth date. Retirees born on or before the 10th of the month will receive their payments on February 12, those born between the 11th and 20th will receive their checks on February 19, and retirees born on or after the 21st will receive their payments on February 26. Citizens become eligible for Social Security payments starting at 62 years old.
Social Security is financed through a payroll tax paid by employers and employees. Analysts warn that unless Congress takes action, the SSA may no longer be able to distribute full payments to recipients as early as 2034, due to an increasing number of retirees and a decreasing number of workers. Another round of Social Security benefit payments will be made this week, with most recipients being paid according to their date of birth.
Those who have been claiming since before May 1997 or also collect Supplemental Security Income (SSI) checks are paid differently. SSI payments for February were made on January 31. The amount a beneficiary receives varies based on factors such as income throughout their working years and the age at which they retired.
The maximum retirement benefit available in 2025 is $5,108, but most recipients get less than this. The estimated average monthly Social Security retirement benefit for January 2025 was $1,976. The next round of retirement payments will be made on Wednesday, February 12, followed by two more payments for those paid according to their date of birth.