How Are Payment Dates Chosen for SSDI and SSI?

The date you receive your disability payments each month depends on whether you are receiving SSI or SSDI.

SSI Disability Payments

Your SSI benefits are paid on the first day of each month. If the first is on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, your benefits will be paid on the banking day before. For example, if the first is a Sunday, you should receive your check the Friday before (assuming that Friday is not a legal holiday). The SSA recommends calling the agency at 800-772-1213 if you have not received your check or deposit by the fourth banking day of the month. SSI recipients are now required to receive their payments through direct deposit, the Direct Express® card program, or through an Electronic Transfer Account.

When will you receive your first SSI check? In a disability survey we asked our readers to take, over half (52%) of SSI recipients said it took three to seven weeks to receive their first SSI check (from the date of the award letter).

SSDI Disability Payments

If you started receiving SSDI benefits after 1997, the date you receive your payment depends on your birthday.

• If your birthday is on the 1st – 10th of a month, your SSDI checks or direct deposit will arrive on the second Wednesday of every month.
• If your birthday is on the 11th – 20th of a month, your SSDI checks or direct deposit will arrive on the third Wednesday of every month.
• If your birthday is on the 21st – 31st of a month, your SSDI checks or direct deposit will arrive on the fourth Wednesday of every month.

If you started receiving benefits before 1997, you will receive your payments on the third day of the month, no matter when your birthday is. If the third is on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, your benefits will be paid on the banking day before. In some circumstance, if you are still receiving SSDI benefits on the third of the month, you can change your payment date. However, you cannot choose any day of the month you want for your new payment date. Your birth date will determine what day your benefits will arrive, based on the same list above.

Keep in mind that Social Security now wants all SSDI recipients to sign up to receive their payments through direct deposit, the Direct Express® card program, or through an Electronic Transfer Account.

SSI and SSDI Combined

If you receive SSI and SSDI payments together in one payment, your payment date will the on the third day of the month (with the exception of weekends and legal holidays). If you would like to change the payment date, you may be able to change it to one based on your birthday (see SSDI, above).

Learn more about your monthly disability payments.