Social Security recipients will no longer receive paper checks. Starting this month, the Social Security Administration is using a fully digital system and October payments are being sent electronically.
Anyone receiving benefits should have either set up direct deposit with a bank account or a government-issued Direct Express debit card to receive their payments, or have requested an exemption to continue receiving paper checks through a waiver filed with the U.S. Treasury.
Most Social Security benefits, primarily given to retirees and older adults, are paid on Wednesdays. Payment dates are based on birth dates: those born between the 1st and 10th of the month are paid on the second Wednesday, those born from the 11th to 20th on the third Wednesday, and those with birthdays after the 20th on the fourth Wednesday of the month.
People who started receiving Social Security before May 1997, or who receive both Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI), have a different schedule. Their Social Security payments arrive on the third day of each month, unless that day falls on a weekend or federal holiday, while their SSI payments come on the first of the month.
The month of October also presents a unique situation: because Nov. 1 falls on a Saturday, SSI recipients received two payments in October—one on Oct. 1 for October’s benefits and a second on Friday, Oct. 31 for November’s benefits. The Social Security Administration notes that this isn’t an extra payment, but rather an advance to ensure recipients have funds before the new month begins.
- Wednesday, Oct. 1: Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments for October
- Friday, Oct. 3: Payments for those who began receiving Social Security before May 1997, and for recipients who get both SSI and Social Security
- Wednesday, Oct. 8: Payments for beneficiaries born between the 1st and 10th of the month
- Wednesday, Oct. 15: Payments for beneficiaries born between the 11th and 20th of the month
- Wednesday, Oct. 22: Payments for beneficiaries born after the 20th of the month
- Friday, Oct. 31: Second SSI payment—an advance for November, since Nov. 1 falls on a Saturday
Social Security data show that in September, fewer than one percent of Social Security recipients were still receiving paper checks, an estimate of at least hundreds of thousands of people. These recipients switched to direct deposit or a Direct Express card. The few remaining sought an exemption from the electronic payment rule with a waiver request through the U.S. Treasury by phone.
For older Americans, Social Security is a vital lifeline: nearly 9 out of 10 people over 65 receive these benefits, and the money makes up about 31 percent of their total income. Social Security also provides support for survivors and disabled workers, who together accounted for roughly 21.5 percent of total benefits paid in 2024.
