Social Security August 2025: When Your Checks Will Arrive
Written by
Angela Mae
Edited by
Zuri Anderson
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An estimated 69 million Americans receive Social Security benefits, as per the Social Security Administration (SSA)’s recent data. That’s nearly nine out of 10 people over the age of 64. For these individuals, Social Security makes up nearly a third (31%) of their total income.
If you’re receiving Social Security and are trying to figure out when your benefits will arrive, here’s everything you need to know.
Your Check Will Arrive Based On Your Birth Date
According to the official payout schedule, your August paycheck will arrive on the following dates:
- Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025: If you were born between the 1st and 10th of the month
- Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025: If you were born between the 11th and 20th of the month
- Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2025: If you were born between the 21st and 31st of the month
There is an exception to this. If you started collecting Social Security before May 1997, or if you receive both Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI), you’ll get your check on:
- Friday, the 1st of August (SSI)
- Wednesday, the 3rd of August (Social Security)
If eligible for spousal or survivor benefits, you should also receive those on Aug. 13. Note, if your check doesn’t arrive on time, the SSA advises waiting an additional three days before contacting them.
If you expect to receive Social Security after August, you should get your benefits on the second, third or fourth Wednesday of the month — based on your date of birth.
Paper Checks Will Come to an End
While it shouldn’t affect your August payment, there is a change coming to the way you receive your benefits.
“The biggest change to Social Security is that paper checks will no longer be issued starting September 30, 2025,” said Jay Zigmont, PhD, certified financial planner (CFP®) and founder of Childfree Trust®. “If you currently receive a paper check, it is time to switch to direct deposit or a debit card.”
Here are a few ways to set up direct deposit, per SSA:
- Do it from your account: Sign into your account online and update your bank account information. You may need to contact the Social Security office to finalize this change.
- Make an in-person appointment. You can schedule an appointment from your online account. Or you can visit a local office.
- Reach out to your bank. Ask your bank to send your direct deposit info directly to Social Security (via the Automated Enrollment process).
If you don’t currently have a bank account, you can open one at a local branch or online.
Alternatively, you can get a Direct Express debit card and receive your benefits that way. A bank account isn’t required to do this. You’ll receive your monthly benefit directly to your card when it comes due. To get a card, simply call 1-800-333-1795.
How Much Social Security Could You Receive?
According to the SSA, the typical Social Security benefit amount was $1,860 in June 2025. This may increase with next year’s cost-of-living-adjustment (COLA). The latest COLA was 2.5%.
Your benefit amount depends on several factors, including:
- Your retirement age: Typically, the longer you wait to start collecting benefits, the higher your benefit will be. If you wait until the full retirement age (either 66 or 67) could get you a maximum benefit of $4,018. For those who wait until they’re 70, the maximum benefit is $5,108.
- Income earned: Payments are also calculated based on how much you earned over your highest-grossing 35 years (adjusted for inflation).
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