Social Security payments are disbursed like clockwork every month, providing guaranteed income to more than 73 million Americans. Although the program is known to never miss a payment date, individual beneficiaries may experience delays from time to time.
Those delays could be related to changes to their banking or personal information, slow processing of their initial application or excess earnings as an early retiree. Regardless of the reason, calling the Social Security Administration may be your best bet to resolve the issue.
[Read: Here’s How Much Money You Could Lose if Social Security Goes Bankrupt]
Why Social Security Payments May Be Delayed
Each month, the Social Security Administration sends out payments to retirees, disabled workers and their families on three Wednesdays. The payment schedule is as follows:
— First Wednesday of the month: Birth dates on the 1st through 10th
— Second Wednesday of the month: Birth dates on the 11th through 20th
— Third Wednesday of the month: Birth dates on the 21st through 31st
These birthdays refer to the worker for whom the claim is based. For instance, someone receiving spousal benefits would receive their payment based on their spouse’s birth date, not their own.
Those receiving both Social Security and Supplemental Security Income will get their Social Security payment on the third Wednesday and their SSI payment on the first.
If your payment doesn’t arrive on the expected day, it could be delayed for one of the following reasons.
Delay in Processing Your Claim
You are most likely to experience a delay when you initially file for benefits. First payments may be late, depending on how long it takes the Social Security Administration to process an application.
“I’ve been doing this for two decades, and there isn’t a rhyme or reason,” says Michael Foguth, president and founder of Foguth Financial Group in Brighton, Michigan. Some people seem to have claims processed quickly, while others, including his mother, had to wait three months for benefits to start.
Change in Your Banking Information
Once benefits begin, there are relatively few reasons a payment may be delayed. Chief among them is a change to your banking information.
“That’s the most obvious one,” says Krisstin Petersmarck, president of New Horizon Retirement Solutions in Southfield, Michigan. If you changed banks or closed an account, be sure to update your direct deposit information with the Social Security Administration.
Change in Your Personal Information
It’s also possible that a change in your personal information could trigger a pause in payments.
“They talk about irregularities being detected,” says Martha Shedden, co-founder and president of the National Association of Registered Social Security Analysts. Perhaps you moved and forgot to update your address, or your Social Security number was flagged for identity theft or fraud. In those cases, payments may not resume until you have provided necessary documentation or verified your identity.
Excess Income for Early Retirees
Early retirees may also miss payments if they earn too much money before reaching their full retirement age. The Social Security Administration will withhold benefits for those who exceed these thresholds in 2025:
— $1 in benefits will be deducted for every $2 earned in excess of $23,400.
— $1 in benefits will be deducted for every $3 earned in excess of $62,160. This applies to those reaching their full retirement age in 2025, and only income earned until the month someone reaches their full retirement age is counted for this threshold.
Once someone reaches their full retirement age, there is no limit on how much they can earn.
“The key there is they usually get some of that money,” Petersmarck says. However, it is possible that if someone earned enough income during a year, their entire payment could be offset by the benefits reduction.
[READ: How Much You Will Get From Social Security.]
What to Do About a Late Social Security Payment
The first thing to do when your payment is late is to contact your bank to determine if an error on their part caused the issue.
Then, log in to your my Social Security account online to confirm that your direct deposit information, name and address are correct. You can also use this account to check the status of your Social Security application if you are waiting on your first payment.
“I tell my clients that if you don’t have a (first) payment within 60 days to call,” Foguth says.
If you do need to call, you can try either your local office or the Social Security national toll-free number. However, expect to be on hold for several hours in either case.
“All of (my clients) have told me that it doesn’t matter if they are calling the local office or the national number; it takes forever to get through,” Petersmarck says. For that reason, she advises people to start sooner rather than later when trying to reach the Social Security Administration if they suspect a problem. “You’re going to have to get through a lot of red tape.”
The phone representative may be able to assist you on the call or you may be required to visit a local office. In that case, don’t be surprised if your local office doesn’t have any openings for weeks. Only 43% of benefits appointments take place within 28 days, according to SSA performance data.
[Read: Is It Possible to Live on Social Security Alone in 2025?]
Why Some Think Future Delays May Happen
Looking to the future, some are sounding the alarm that Social Security could experience more widespread delays in the future. Most notably, former Social Security commissioner Martin O’Malley told CNBC that he thought worker reductions and IT changes made by Department of Government Efficiency staffers could compromise the integrity of the system.
“Ultimately, you’re going to see the system collapse and an interruption of benefits,” O’Malley said during the March 2025 interview. “I believe you will see that within the next 30 to 90 days.”
The Social Security Administration has refuted claims that it plans to reduce its workforce by half and instead issued a press release in February stating that it plans to shed 7,000 positions. That would take its staff from 57,000 to 50,000 workers.
“It all has to do with staffing,” Shedden says when asked if she thinks there will be payment delays in the future. Fewer employees may lengthen processing times or make it more difficult to receive assistance.
Foguth, on the other hand, is optimistic about the future of Social Security. “I think we’re going to see faster payments,” he says, adding that he believes the Social Security Administration is going to push to make all its services digital and that will increase the speed of service.
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4 Reasons Your Social Security Payment Is Delayed and What to Do About It originally appeared on usnews.com
