Social Security Payment Schedule: Exactly When to Expect Your Checks in January 2024

Submitted by Elizabeth on

Seniors who are retired, people who are sick and can’t work, and children who have serious illnesses rely on Social Security benefit payments to help pay for their living and medical costs. Without Social Security payments the parents of sick children, people who are disabled and can’t work, and seniors who have retired would struggle to pay for housing, food, utilities, and other necessities.

Social Security payments for 2024 will make it easier for people who rely on Social Security benefits to pay for what they need because the amount of benefits is going up. The Social Security Administration’s Cost-of-Living-Adjustment for 2024 means that people who get Social Security benefits will get more money to help them keep up with the costs of inflation.

For February's payment dates, see our blog: Social Security Payment Schedule: Exactly When to Expect Your Checks in February 2024

Social Security Payment Schedule: Exactly When to Expect Your Checks in January 2024

Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) Increase

Every year the Social Security Administration implements a Cost-Of-Living Adjustment that increases the amount of Social Security benefits that people receive. The COLA is supposed to make it easier for people to stretch their benefit money and pay for more of what they need.

The Social Security COLA for 2024 will increase benefit payments by 3.2%. Anyone who receives Social Security benefits will see a 3.2% increase in the amount of money that they receive starting in January 2024. If you are receiving SSI benefits that are paid on the first of the month you will receive your first 2024 adjusted payment on December 28, because January 1 is a holiday. You can find out more about the Social Security COLA 2024 here.

Social Security Payment Schedule Overview

The Social Security payment schedule for 2024 continues to pay benefits the way that Social Security benefit payments were paid in 2023. If you receive SSI payments your benefit will be deposited into your chosen account on the 1st of the month.

If the first of the month is a holiday or a weekend your payment will be deposited on the last Friday of the previous month. For all other Social Security recipients Social Security payments in 2024 will be paid according to your date of birth:

  • If your birth date falls in between the 1st and the 10th of the month during which you were born, you will get your payment on the second Wednesday of January 2024 — Wednesday, January 10, 2024.
  • If your birth date falls in between the 11th and the 20th of the month during which you were born, you’ll get your payment on the third Wednesday of January 2024 — Wednesday, January 17, 2024.
  • If your birth date falls in between the 21st and the 31st of the month during which you were born, you’ll get your payment on the fourth Wednesday of January 2024 — Wednesday, January 24, 2024.

For more information about Social Security payment dates 2024 read about Social Security payments in 2024 here.

Detailed Social Security Payment Schedule for January 2024

People who receive SSI from the Social Security Administration will get their first 2024 SSI payment on Friday, December 29th because January 1 is a holiday. That payment will include the 3.2% 2024 COLA for Social Security recipients.

If you started receiving benefits before May of 1997 whether you receive a check or a direct deposit, you should receive your first 2024 Social Security benefit payment on January 3.

Everyone else who receives Social Security benefits will receive their January 2024 Social Security benefits as follows:

  • If your date of birth falls between the 1st and 10th, of the month you will receive your January 2024 Social Security payment on Wednesday, January 10th.
  • If your date of birth falls between the 11th and the 20th, you will receive your January 2024 Social Security payment on Wednesday, January 17th.
  • If your date of birth falls between the 21st and 31st, you will receive your January 2024 Social Security payment on Wednesday, January 24th.

Most people receive their Social Security benefit payments through electronic deposit. Your benefit money should be electronically deposited on your assigned payment date. If you do receive a paper check the check should arrive on your assigned payment date.

Important Dates in 2024

The most important Social Security dates in 2024 are the payment dates each month. You should mark your Social Security payment date on your calendar each month so that you will know when you will receive your money and how to budget your money each month.

Social Security payment dates for 2024 are:

  • January 2024 Social Security payment dates: SSI- December 29, 2023; Wednesday January 10, Wednesday January 17, and Wednesday January 24.
  • February 2024 Social Security payment dates: SSI- Thursday, February 1; Wednesday February14, Wednesday February 21st, Wednesday February 28th.
  • March 2024 Social Security payment dates: SSI-Friday, March 1; Wednesday March 12th, Wednesday March 19th, Wednesday March 26th.
  • April 2024 Social Security payment dates: SSI-Monday, April 1; Wednesday April 10th, Wednesday April 17th, Wednesday April 24th.
  • May 2024 Social Security payment dates: SSI-Wednesday, May 1; Wednesday May 15th, Wednesday May 22, Wednesday May 29th.
  • June 2024 Social Security payment dates: SSI-Friday, May 31; Wednesday June 12th, Wednesday June 19th, Wednesday June 26th.
  • July 2024 Social Security payment dates: SSI-Monday, July 1; Wednesday July 17th, Wednesday July 24th, Wednesday July 31st.
  • August 2024 Social Security payment dates: SSI-Thursday, August 1; Wednesday August 14th, Wednesday August 21st, Wednesday August 28th.
  • September 2024 Social Security payment dates: SSI-Friday, August 30; Wednesday September11th, Wednesday September 18th, Wednesday September 25th.
  • October 2024 Social Security payment dates: SSI-Tuesday, October 1; Wednesday October 16th, Wednesday October 23rd, Wednesday October 30th.
  • November 2024 Social Security payment dates: SSI-Friday, November 1; Wednesday November 13th, Wednesday November 20th, Wednesday November 27th.
  • December 2024 Social Security payment dates: SSI- Friday, November 29; Wednesday December 11th, Wednesday December 18th, Tuesday December 24th because of the Christmas holiday.

Mark these 2024 Social Security payment dates on your calendar now.

Social Security Payment Schedule: Exactly When to Expect Your Checks in January 2024

Factors That Affect Social Security Payment Dates

It’s rare that Social Security payments arrive late, but it can happen. Often if a Social Security payment is late it’s because of a holiday. Holidays can interfere with the electronic processing of payments and cause electronic deposits to be delayed. Holidays can also cause paper checks to arrive late because of the closure of the USPS.

Weather is another problem that can impact when your Social Security benefit payment arrives. If you are receiving a paper check and there is bad weather that causes postal delays you may not get your benefit on the day when it’s supposed to arrive.

If you don’t receive your payment on time wait a day to see if it arrives the next day due to a postal delay before contacting the SSA about your late payment. Often it will arrive the next day.

How To Receive Your Social Security Payments Faster

If you don’t want to take the risk of your Social Security benefit payment arriving late you should either sign up for the SSA’s Direct Deposit of your benefit or sign up for the SSA’s Direct Express® card.

If you have a checking or savings account at a bank or credit union, you can enter the bank information in your account on the SSA’s website. The SSA will directly deposit your benefit money into that account on your assigned pay date.

If you do not have a bank account—or don’t want to use your bank account—you can sign up for the SSA’s Direct Express® card for free through your Social Security account. You will receive a Direct Express® card that looks and functions like a credit card or debit card. The SSA will deposit your money onto the Direct Express® card each month on your assigned date. Then you can use the Direct Express® card just like a credit or debit card to pay bills, buy things, or withdraw cash.

Sometimes banks will hold a portion of direct deposited money, so if you want to have immediate access to your Social Security benefit money you may want to use the Direct Express® card instead of having your funds deposited into your bank account.

Social Security Payment Schedule: Exactly When to Expect Your Checks in January 2024

What To Do If Your Disability Payment Is Late or Hasn’t Arrived Yet?

If your Social Security benefit payment doesn’t arrive on time and you have an electronic deposit of your funds through a bank account or the Direct Express® card, contact the SSA immediately. If you receive a paper check wait a day or two to see if the check has just been delayed. If the check doesn’t show up, then contact the SSA.

When Will I Get My SSDI Back Pay in 2024?

If you are approved for SSDI back pay in 2024 you can usually expect to see your back pay deposited as a lump sum into your bank account or onto your Direct Express® card about 60 days after the SSA approved your application for disability benefits.

When Can I Get Paid If I Haven’t Been Approved For Disability Yet?

Once your application for Social Security disability benefits is approved you will typically receive your back pay around 60 days after your approval is given. Then you will start receiving your normal Social Security disability amount the next month after you receive your back pay.

Social Security Payment Schedule: Exactly When to Expect Your Checks in January 2024

Other Resources for SSDI/SSI Recipients and Applicants

All people who are receiving SSDI or SSI and applications should remember that the Social Security Administration pays benefits on this schedule:

  • All SSI payments are sent out on the 1st of each month, or the business day that is closest to the 1st of each month.

And

  • All other Social Security benefits are sent out according to the following schedule that’s based entirely on the specific date of the month during which you were born:
    • If your birth date is between the 1st - 10th of your birth month, you will get your Social Security benefits on the second Wednesday of each month.
    • If your birth date is between the 11th - 20th of your birth month, you will get your Social Security benefits on the third Wednesday of the month.
    • If your birth date is between the 21st - 31st of your birth month, you will get your Social Security benefits on the fourth Wednesday of each month.

If you don’t receive your money on the day you should receive it based on that schedule contact the SSA.

To find out just how much you specifically could be receiving each month via Social Security benefits, use our Social Security Benefits Calculator.

Conclusion

If you rely on your Social Security benefits to pay your bills you need to know when you are going to receive that money so you can effectively manage your money. Using the tools and dates provided by the Disability Benefits Center will help you know when to expect your 2024 Social Security benefit payments and what to do if your payment is late.

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