Overview
- Social Security’s April timeline is locked in, with SSI paid Wednesday, April 1, pre‑May 1997 beneficiaries paid Friday, April 3, and retirement checks going out on Wednesdays April 8, April 15, and April 22.
- Retirement payments follow birth dates, with those born on the 1st–10th paid April 8, the 11th–20th paid April 15, and the 21st–31st paid April 22.
- A 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment that began in January lifted the average retired-worker benefit by about $56 to roughly $2,071 per month.
- If a payment does not arrive, the SSA advises checking with your bank, allowing three extra mailing days, and then contacting the agency, noting that 99% of beneficiaries receive payments electronically.
- Benefit amounts depend on lifetime earnings and when you claim, with SSA figures showing a maximum of about $2,969 per month at age 62 and up to about $5,181 at age 70.