Social Security Payment Update: Up to $5,108 To Go Out This Week

Another round of Social Security retirement checks will be paid this week.

Why It Matters

Social Security benefits are a vital source of income for tens of millions of Americans. An estimated 53 million retirees—roughly 16 percent of the population—were collecting monthly retirement payments at the end of 2024. But due to the sheer number of recipients expecting a check every month, not every claimant gets paid their benefits on the same date.

What To Know

Retirement checks are distributed throughout the month based on the recipient's birth date and in some cases, how long they have been receiving benefits for.

This week, on Wednesday, February 19, payments will be administered to recipients who have a birthday falling between the 11th and 20th of any given month in the year. This does not apply to anyone who has been collecting benefits since before May 1997, all of whom are paid at the beginning of every month.

If you have not received your monthly payment on the expected date, the SSA recommends waiting three working days before contacting the agency. Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays are not considered working days.

How Much Social Security Can I Get?

The amount of Social Security you can claim depends on various factors, such as the age at which you begin receiving benefits and your highest-earning working years. Benefits were also boosted at the start of 2025 by 2.5 percent, thanks to the annual Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA), which raises benefits in line with inflation every year.

Retirees who stop working at Full Retirement Age—currently 67—can receive a maximum monthly benefit of $4,018. However, claiming benefits as early as age 62 reduces the maximum payment to $2,831.

The longer you wait to start collecting benefits, the higher your payments will be. Delaying retirement until age 70 increases the maximum monthly benefit to $5,108.

Most retirees, however, do not receive the maximum benefit, as their payments are determined by their lifetime earnings. As of November 2024, the average monthly retirement benefit was $1,876.95.

What People Are Saying

Martin O'Malley, former commissioner of Social Security, said when the increased amount was announced in October: "Social Security benefits and SSI payments will increase in 2025, helping tens of millions of people keep up with expenses even as inflation has started to cool."

Independent Social Security and Medicare policy analyst Mary Johnson: "The 2025 COLA will be the lowest received by Social Security beneficiaries since 2021, at the same time inflated prices persist on key essentials such as housing, meats, auto insurance, any type of service and repairs. Despite it being the lowest COLA since 2021, a 2.5 percent COLA would be considered about average."

What Happens Next

The next round of retirement payments is scheduled for Wednesday, February 26.