Social Security is making payments of $2,000 on average on Wednesday, May 21: find out who’s getting a check

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Millions of Americans on Social Security benefits are in line to receive their latest monthly payment this week.

On Wednesday, May 21, the Social Security Administration (SSA) is due to send out another round of retirement, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and survivor benefits.

Who gets a Social Security check on May 21?

Of the U.S.’s nearly 70 million recipients of retirement, SSDI or survivor benefits, many are paid on one of three Wednesdays each month. Their designated Wednesday depends on their date of birth.

On May 21, the SSA is scheduled to issue checks to recipients born between the 11th and 20th of each month.

This month’s trio of Wednesday payments, which kicked off on May 14, then concludes on May 21.

Three-Wednesdays payment schedule – May 2025:

Wednesday, May 14: recipients born on 1st to 10th of each month
Wednesday, May 21: recipients born on 11th to 20th of each month
Wednesday, May 28: recipients born on 21st to 31st of each month

Who is paid outside of the three-Wednesdays schedule?

Americans who began claiming retirement, SSDI or survivor checks before May 1997 are typically paid on the third of each month, regardless of their date of birth.

What’s more, beneficiaries of the Supplemental Security Income scheme (SSI) – a separate program for low-income individuals who are over 65 or have a disability – are normally issued their check on the first of each month.

If you claim both SSI and any of the SSA’s retirement, SSDI or survivor benefits, you typically receive the former on the first and the latter on the third.

You can check out the SSA’s full 2025 payment calendar in this online pdf shared by the agency.

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How much are the monthly Social Security retirement payments?

Retired workers – who represent the overwhelming majority of all recipients of Social Security checks – are paid an average of $1,999.97 a month, according to figures shared by the SSA this month.

The top monthly retirement check currently stands at $5,108.

How much money do other Social Security beneficiaries receive?

Disabled workers get a monthly average of $1,581.88 per month, while recipients of survivor benefits are paid $1,565.52 per month on average. Beneficiaries of the SSI program receive $717.87 per month on average.