The payment schedule for federal Social Security, retirement, and SSDI programs in April 2025 remains structured around specific dates and eligibility criteria, as it always has.
Each group of beneficiaries receives their funds on specific days, which not only simplifies disbursements but also avoids problems when distributing the money to 70 million beneficiaries without delays or errors.
The calendar begins on April 1: Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is distributed on the first business day of each month to adults over the age of 65, people with disabilities or blindness, and those with limited resources.
This payment is intended to cover basic needs like food and housing. Those who also receive Social Security (retirement or SSDI) receive these funds later, with the exception of beneficiaries who received their benefits before May 1997.
More April Social Security payments: some expect up to $5,108
This date applies to beneficiaries who began receiving benefits before May 1997, live outside the country, have Medicare premiums covered by their state, or receive SSI.
These payments combine retirement and SSDI benefits, prioritizing those who require immediate liquidity. For example, a pensioner receiving SSI would receive both payments within the first three days of the month, making financial management easier.
April 9, 12, and 23: retirees finally receive their payments
The second Wednesday in April is designated for Social Security beneficiaries who began receiving benefits after May 1997 and have birth dates ranging from the first to the tenth of any month.
This staggered system by birthday aims to distribute operational load. Those born on March 5, for example, will receive their funds on this day, with the exception of those who qualify for deliveries on April 3.
The third Wednesday is reserved for those born between the 11th and 20th of the month. This group, which includes pensioners and people on SSDI, must have started receiving benefits after May 1997. A person born on July 15th, for example, would receive payment on this date. The April 3 exceptions are not applicable here.
The final payment for April goes to beneficiaries born between the 21st and the 31st. This mechanism applies to those who, for example, were born on December 25. The SSA thus avoids crowds in the final weeks of the month. This group excludes those who qualified for SSI by April 3.
How much to expect from Social Security?
The maximum possible Social Security payments for retirees who worked high-income jobs and paid all of their Social Security taxes is $5,108, but this amount is reserved for less than 1% of the nearly 70 million recipients in the United States. This group of chosen ones must also have postponed retirement until the age of 70.
According to SSA data, the vast majority of beneficiaries receive amounts closer to the national average of $1,976. All of these payments were made possible by the 2.5% COLA increase, which is an annual adjustment made to Social Security payments and other federal programs such as SNAP benefits to ensure that they do not lose purchasing power.
