Will Social Security Checks Come Early This Month?

Being disabled is difficult. There's no question about it. If you are disabled and you receive disability benefits from the Social Security Administration, those benefits are probably very helpful as a source of income when you can't work. Even then, there may be times when money is tight or when you wish your payment would come early. That's understandable. You may be wondering if payments ever do arrive early, even though the Social Security Administration makes payments on a regular schedule. Let’s take a closer look at the timeline on which benefits are usually paid.

What Types of Benefits Are Offered?

Individuals seeking disability benefits and wondering about the timeline on which those benefits will be paid should know that the Social Security Administration offers two types of disability benefits. It’s important to understand the differences between these types of benefits and to know that they are paid on separate schedules.

SSDI Benefits

The first type of disability benefit is a Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefit. These benefits are paid to individuals with a qualifying medical condition that has rendered them disabled for at least one continuous calendar year or more. In addition, in order to receive benefits, an individual must be “insured.” This doesn’t mean holding any type of particular private insurance policy. Instead, it means that the individual worked at a job for a sufficient length of time and, while working that job, regularly paid a portion of their salary into the Social Security system.

Since 1997, the Social Security Administration has paid SSDI benefits based on the recipient’s birth date. Typically, these payments are made as follows:

• If the recipient's birthdate occurs on the first through the 10th of the month, the SSDI payment will arrive on the second Wednesday of each month.
• If the recipient’s birth date falls on the 11th through the 20th of the month, SSDI benefits will be paid on the third Wednesday of each month.
• If the recipient’s birthdate occurs between the 21st and the 31st of the month, the SSDI payment will be made on the fourth Wednesday of that month.

As noted, these rules generally apply to those who began receiving payments after 1997. Those who started receiving benefits before that time typically receive their payments on the third of the month.

You may be wondering when you'll receive your payment if your benefits are based on the work record of a spouse or a parent. That's an excellent question to ask. In those situations, benefits are typically paid based on the spouse or parent’s birthdate.

SSI Benefits

The other type of disability benefit offered by the Social Security Administration is Supplemental Security Income (SSI). As with SSDI benefits, in order to receive SSI benefits, an individual must have a qualifying medical condition that has rendered them disabled for at least one continuous calendar year or more. Unlike the case with SSDI benefits, however, an individual may not be insured to receive SSI benefits. Instead, they must have income and resources below a certain threshold established by the Social Security Administration. That limit may change from year to depending on various economic factors. As a general rule, SSI benefits are paid on the first day of the month.

Do These Schedules Ever Change?

Although these are the general rules and payment schedules that apply to disability benefits, these dates can occasionally change. Sometimes, a scheduled payment date might fall on a weekend or a holiday. In those situations, the payment will typically be made on the Friday before the regularly scheduled payment date.

Sometimes, this may mean that an individual receives more than one monthly payment. For example, in November 2024, SSI recipients received their November payment on November 1st. However, as December 1st, 2024 is a Sunday, the SSI payment intended for December 1st will be paid on Friday, November 29th instead. Ultimately, regardless of changes in date, recipients are still receiving the same yearly amount of benefit, but it is important to be aware of the rules and payment schedules so you can know when to expect your benefits.

Call Disability Experts Today

At Disability Experts, we know that your benefits are very important to you. That's why we want to assure you that although you can't often receive your benefits early, you can do everything possible to ensure that you receive the benefits you need and that you receive them on time. We are here to help you do that. We will always pursue the best legal strategies on your behalf, and we will fight to protect your rights every step of the way. If you need help, we're here for you, and we're ready to get started. Give us a call today. We look forward to speaking with you soon.