Millions of Social Security Recipients to See Payments Land Sept. 3

Two groups of Social Security beneficiaries are set to receive their September payments on Sept. 3, as the Social Security Administration opens September's disbursement calendar.

Who Gets Paid First

The earliest September payments go to two distinct sets of recipients. The first group includes beneficiaries who started drawing Social Security before May 1997. The second group consists of "dual" beneficiaries—those who receive both Social Security and Supplemental Security Income, or SSI.

SSI, unlike Social Security, is a needs-based benefit for low-income Americans and does not require a work history to qualify. For dual beneficiaries, the SSI portion of their September benefit actually arrives two days earlier, on Sept. 1, according to the Social Security Administration's latest figures, which peg the average monthly SSI payment at $736.54.

The Rest of September's Payment Calendar

For the majority of the nation's 71.3 million Social Security beneficiaries, payment timing follows the standard birthdate-based schedule.

• Born the 1st through 10th: paid Wednesday, Sept. 9
• Born the 11th through 20th: paid Wednesday, Sept. 16
• Born the 21st through 31st: paid Wednesday, Sept. 23

Recipients who collect benefits based on someone else's work record should note that the Social Security Administration uses that other person's birth date to determine payment timing, not their own.

Average Monthly Benefit Amounts

According to figures shared by the Social Security Administration, average monthly benefits break down by category as follows:

• Retirement: $2,031.74
• Disability: $1,498.43
• Survivor: $1,634.61

The latest figures reflect the benefit structure that took effect in January, when a 2.8 percent cost-of-living adjustment raised the average monthly Social Security check from $2,015 to $2,071, an increase of $56. However, that gain may not fully reach beneficiaries' bank accounts.

At the upper end of the scale, high earners who paid taxes at the maximum taxable income level for decades and delayed claiming until age 70 can now receive as much as $5,251 per month, a record high, up from $5,108 in 2025.

How Beneficiaries Receive Their Money

The Social Security Administration outlines two main ways beneficiaries can receive their payments. Recipients can set up direct deposit by logging into the agency's "my Social Security" online portal and providing their bank account details. Alternatively, beneficiaries can have funds loaded onto a Direct Express Card, a debit card designed for federal payments, by calling 1-800-333-1795 or 1-800-772-1213, or by visiting a Social Security office.