amiyanandy
Many people who receive Social Security are finding that their bank accounts this month have been credited with two checks instead of one–a pleasant surprise. There are others who say that their benefits have been delayed than usual and are still waiting for them.
This is not a random occurrence — it is the way the Social Security Administration regularly plans the distribution of benefits. Chances are, the same thing could occur later this year.
But why are there two payments in May?
The first installment for those on Supplemental Security Income (SSI) was mailed on May, 1. This is standard.
But the second check, for June’s SSI benefit, is set to be dispatched ahead of time on May 30. And why is that so? As the next month’s date is a weekend, and since the SSA does not release checks on that day of the week, they had to make a different arrangement.
Thus, instead of the June check being rightfully on time, the agency moved it to be issued the first business day before that — resulting in two payments received in May and nothing in June for SSI recipients.
Who gets three checks in May?
If you are among 7.4 million people who are SSI beneficiaries and you also receive traditional Social Security retirement or disability benefits, it is quite possible that you would have three payments in this month:
- May 1: An SSI payment for May
- May 3: Social Security (if enrolled before May 1997)
- May 30: Early SSI payment for June
This particular case makes May a really crowded month payment-wise for a significant fraction of the population.
Why many people are saying they are getting their payments “late” on May?
For the vast majority, Social Security benefits come according to birth dates. In nearly every month, checks are due to arrive by the second Wednesday. But as May happens to have its second Wednesday on May 14–in other words the very last day–most of those benefits will not be received until then.
By “all payment groups shift deeper into the calendar”, it means the schedule gets extended accordingly for all payment groups and the new dates are as follows:
- May 14: Birthdays 1st–10th
- May 21: Birthdays 11th–20th
- May 28: Birthdays 21st–31st
If your financial plans involve your salary payment which would come earlier than other payments and in case the new time slot results in the delay, your budget will be in disarray if rent or utility bills are to be settled in the first week
Is this likely to happen again?
It is not only because of the shift that makes next month’s pay come early but also because the same month of August and October have weekends that fall on the last days of the months causing the weekend payments to be made in the previous month of the cycle.
Anticipate the following twice-payment months:
- August: Two checks for September
- October: Two checks for November
- December: Two checks for January 2026
It is not true that the change in the payment schedule and getting the money a month earlier mean you are winning. The extra money is the following month’s benefit, but if not planned correctly, you may find it running short when the actual month rolls around.
What can recipients do?
Regardless of whether the amount of income for this month has increased or decreased, the SSA advises beneficiaries to:
- Check the official payment calendar
- Program the regular arrival months as reminders
- Plan the expenses beforehand so early payment does not lead to overspending
- Do not fall for scammers’ overused ‘bonko’ terminology, taking that the payments are “overdoubled” — they have not
Most importantly, there’s no need to think you’re getting too much money. SSA’s position is that the timing of the early checks is the policy.
Conclusion
In the 2025 calendar of Social Security, May is the single most striking month. It will be worth mentioning that some of the recipients will receive two checks while some of them will wait for longer than they expected. The core is to have a grasp of the reason behind the shifts and how to ready oneself for even more such situations in the future.
Beneficiaries need to pay attention to the schedule, read it carefully and avoid confusion by preparing in advance, as more early-pay months are scheduled to be released in the next few days.
