Hundreds of Social Security beneficiaries will not receive their benefit checks this month due to a calendar quirk. The problem affects people who receive Social Security’s Supplemental Security Income (SSI), a program for low-income adults with disabilities and seniors.
This peculiarity is not something that is new, since the Social Security Administration has established its annual payment schedule well in advance, in fact you can now enter the official Social Security Administration website and consult the calendar for the year 2025. But if a payment is needed this month, it could still be a not very pleasant surprise for certain beneficiaries who were not prepared or were not aware of the change in payment dates.
SSI Recipients Generally Get Their Checks on the First Day of the Month
But since September 1 fell on a Sunday this year, the SSI payments that corresponded to the month of September were sent as of Friday, August 30. This means that the next SSI checks will be sent on Tuesday, October 1 and there will be no deposits in the month of September.
According to Social Security data, about 7.5 million people receive SSI benefits, and the maximum monthly benefit is set at $943 per person. By comparison, the average Social Security retirement benefit payment is $1,907 per month. Seniors who receive regular Social Security retirement benefits will receive their checks this month as usual. The pension system sends your regular monthly checks based on the day of the month your birthday falls on.
These Will Be the Payment Dates Scheduled for the Month of September
- September 11: People who were born between the 1st and 10th of any month.
- September 18: Those born between the 11th and 20th of any month.
- September 25: People with dates of birth between the 21st and 31st of any month.
Changes to the Supplemental Security Income Application Process
On the other hand, the Social Security Administration commented last week that it is reviewing its process for applying for Supplemental Security Income. The new system will begin in December with an online application that makes the process more agile, according to the agency’s statement.
A simpler initial application, called iClaim, which will employ the use of plan language questions and pre-populate questions with answers where possible. The goal is to minimize the time and effort required to complete the form, as well as expedite claims processing.
“People in our communities who need this crucial safety net deserve the dignity of an application process that is less onerous and more accessible than the one we have now, and we are committed to achieving that vision in the years to come,” said Martin O ‘Malley, Commissioner of Social Security, in a statement.
The initial rollout will target first-time filers ages 18 to 65 who have never been married and who are also simultaneously applying for Social Security and SSI benefits, the agency said. The second phase of the rollout, scheduled for the end of 2025, will include all SSI applicants, he added.