Each month, more than 70 million Americans depend on Social Security payments, which include retirement benefits, disability assistance, and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Because of the sheer number of recipients, the Social Security Administration (SSA) distributes payments across different dates each month, depending on when and how a person qualifies.
In August 2025, the payment schedule includes a rare timing shift that will result in two SSI payments in the same month, a situation that may seem confusing but follows established policy.
Key Social Security Payment Dates in August 2025
The SSA issues benefits primarily based on the beneficiary’s date of birth, except for those who began receiving payments before May 1997 or those who receive both Social Security and SSI. These groups have different payment timelines.
The payment dates for August are as follows:
On Friday, August 1, SSI beneficiaries and those who started receiving Social Security benefits before May 1997 (including retirement, spousal, or survivor benefits) will receive their payment.
On Wednesday, August 13, individuals whose birthdays fall between the 1st and 10th of any month will receive their Social Security payment.
On Wednesday, August 20, payments will go out to those born between the 11th and 20th.
On Wednesday, August 27, beneficiaries with birthdays between the 21st and 31st will receive their payment.
Finally, on Friday, August 29, SSI recipients will get an early payment for September, because the usual September 1 payment date falls on Labor Day, a federal holiday. This second deposit in August is not a bonus; it is simply the September benefit paid early.
All payments are either direct-deposited into beneficiaries’ accounts or sent by paper check, depending on the recipient’s preference.
How Much Will You Receive?
Benefit amounts vary based on individual factors like work history, retirement age, and whether you receive federal-only or federal plus state SSI. As of May 2025:
The average monthly retirement benefit reached $2,002.39, surpassing $2,000 for the first time.
About 7.4 million SSI recipients received an average monthly payment of $718.30.
The maximum possible Social Security retirement payments in 2025 are:
Up to $2,831 per month for those retiring at age 62
Up to $4,018 per month for those retiring at full retirement age (67)
Up to $5,108 per month for those who defer retirement until age 70
Looking ahead, the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for 2026 is projected to be around 2.6%, according to The Senior Citizens League. The SSA will officially announce the 2026 COLA in October 2025, based on inflation data from the third quarter of the year.
For now, recipients should be aware of August’s adjusted schedule and plan accordingly, especially since the early September SSI payment on August 29 means no new Shttps://www.ssa.gov/cola/SI funds will arrive in September.
