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When Social Security Recipients Will Get Their Checks in March
By Julia Glum MONEY RESEARCH COLLECTIVE
Social Security benefits are set to go out as scheduled this month.
Despite a partial government shutdown, Social Security payments are set to be distributed as scheduled in March.
Roughly 68 million Americans receive Social Security benefits every month, including about 9 out of every 10 people age 65 and up. Funds aren’t just for older folks, though. Payments go out to retirees, survivors of late workers, those with little to no resources, disabled workers, the blind, dependents and more.
The average Social Security payments for those various groups of people vary, but data from January shows the typical retirement benefit was about $2,020.
When will I get my March Social Security payment?
Your Social Security payment date is determined by your birthday.
If you were born on the first through the 10th of the month, you can expect to get your Social Security check on the second Wednesday of every month — in this case, March 11.
If you were born on the 11th through the 20th of the month, you can expect to get your Social Security check on the third Wednesday of every month — in this case, March 18.
If you were born on the 21st through the 31st, you can expect to get your Social Security check on the fourth Wednesday of every month — in this case, March 25.
Where is my March SSI payment?
Supplemental Security Income, or SSI, payments are usually distributed on the first of each month. But because March 1 fell on a Sunday, the March SSI payment was moved up to the previous business day, Feb. 27.
Folks who get both SSI and Social Security, as well as those who initially claimed Social Security prior to May 1997, should receive their Social Security benefits on March 3.
Where is my March Social Security payment?
Check the payment schedule above.
If you think your money is missing, you can reach out to the Social Security Administration (SSA). The SSA has both local offices and a toll-free national number. The national phone number is 1-800-772-1213. Representatives are available weekdays from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time. Pro tip: The agency says wait times are shortest in the morning, late in the week and late in the month.
In any case, the SSA asks that you wait three mailing days before contacting it about a missing Social Security payment.
Is Social Security delayed by the partial government shutdown?
A partial government shutdown began Feb. 14 due to a congressional dispute over funding for the Department of Homeland Security. Only DHS agencies, like the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) are affected.
This does not impact Social Security checks. In fact, even a full government shutdown wouldn’t suspend payments.
“Payments to all people who currently receive Social Security benefits and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) will continue with no change in payment dates,” the SSA wrote in a blog post during last year’s shutdown.
Do I have to pay taxes on Social Security?
Given that we’re smack-dab in the middle of tax season, you might be wondering what the IRS requirements are for Social Security benefits.
Retirement, survivor and disability benefits may be taxable if 50% of your payments plus all of your other income exceeds a certain level. For single filers, heads of household and qualifying surviving spouses, that threshold is $25,000 a year. For married couples filing jointly, it’s $32,000 a year.
Some beneficiaries may be in for an unpleasant surprise when they file their 2025 taxes, because backpay issued after the Social Security Fairness Act took effect could put them over those income limits. Congress has been scrambling to find a fix; the law “was never intended to saddle widows, low-income seniors and dedicated public servants with an unexpected tax bill,” as Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine, said in a statement.
Another twist for this tax season: It’s the first to include President Donald Trump’s “no tax on Social Security” policy, which actually benefits any qualified taxpayer age 65 and older (not just those who receive Social Security benefits). Eligible individuals can claim a senior bonus deduction of up to $6,000.
The deduction is available regardless of whether you itemize your taxes, although its value phases out for taxpayers with incomes over $75,000 ($150,000 for joint filers). It’s in effect for tax years 2025 through 2028.
What is the SSA payment schedule for 2026?
You can find the SSA’s 2026 payment calendar on its website. Although it largely follows the schedule laid out above, some months are different.
To learn more about your payment status or to get additional help with Medicare, retirement benefits, disability, SSI and more, make a “my Social Security” account for free at SSA.gov.
How do I calculate my Social Security payment?
Benefits are generally calculated according to your average indexed monthly earnings, which include up to 35 years of your highest-earning years. The SSA then applies a formula to determine your primary insurance amount.
The amount of money retirees actually receive depends partially on their age. Although you can start getting Social Security retirement payments at 62 years old, the longer you wait to claim Social Security, the higher your payments will be (until age 70, when the increases stop).
For many Americans, this money is crucial — Social Security accounts for about 30% of the income received by folks over age 65. As people live longer and legislators wrestle over the future of Social Security, the cost of retirement is surging: In 2022, federal data shows retired households spent an average of $54,975, including $11,186 on shelter, $8,065 on transportation and $7,505 on health care.
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Julia Glum is Money's managing editor for news and email, keeping her finger on the pulse of financial trends that affect Americans' wallets. She also writes Dollar Scholar, a weekly newsletter that teaches young adults how to navigate the messy world of money. A 2014 graduate of the University of Florida's journalism school, she previously covered breaking news, politics and education at Newsweek and International Business Times. Julia joined Money in 2018; during her time as a reporter, she wrote frequently about Amazon, passive income, stimulus checks and creative ways people make money online (think: Vine compilations, Cash App Friday and Facebook gift groups). As an editor, she oversees Money’s tax coverage, which includes extensive reporting on tax credits, year-to-year policy changes, tax refunds and the IRS’s ongoing efforts to modernize. For several years, Julia has assisted with Money’s annual Best Colleges rating and Best Places to Live rankings. Recently, she also led Money’s 50th anniversary celebrations, producing the Money Classic newsletter and rolling out Changemakers, a project profiling 50 innovators working to revolutionize personal finance. Julia has interviewed National Taxpayer Advocate Erin Collins, actor Danny Devito, Nobel Prize-winning economist Robert Shiller, rapper Killer Mike, real estate guru Ryan Serhant and many others. Her work has been cited or otherwise shared by the New York Times, Washington Post, Vox, theSkimm, Mashable, CNBC and POLITICO. She’s appeared on Good Morning America, CBS News, PIX11, WGN, the Mountain West News Bureau and more. Julia is based in New York City. You can find her at juliaglum.com.