Social Security Update: Payment of up to $5,181 Going Out This Week
Millions of Americans who rely on Social Security are set to receive their monthly payments this week.
More than 70 million people across the U.S. receive Social Security benefits, including retirees, disabled workers and survivors. Because of the program’s size, the Social Security Administration (SSA) distributes payments on different dates throughout the month rather than issuing them all at once.
When Are Social Security Payments This Week?
Recipients born between the 1st and 10th of any month are scheduled to receive their payments on Wednesday, May 13.
Additional payments are set to follow later in the month:
- Wednesday, May 20: beneficiaries born between the 11th and 20th
- Wednesday, May 27: beneficiaries born between the 21st and 31st
The SSA advises recipients to allow up to three business days for payments to arrive before contacting the agency about delays.
How Much Is Social Security?
Social Security benefit amounts vary depending on factors such as lifetime earnings, the age a person begins claiming benefits and the year they retire. Workers generally qualify for retirement benefits after earning 40 Social Security credits, which most people accumulate after roughly a decade in the workforce.
For workers who consistently earned the taxable maximum income, the timing of retirement can significantly affect monthly payments. A person retiring in 2026 at full retirement age could receive about $4,152 per month, while claiming benefits at age 62 would reduce that amount to roughly $2,969. Delaying benefits until age 70 could increase monthly payments to around $5,181.
Most recipients receive considerably less than the maximum payout. As of last month, the average monthly Social Security retirement benefit stood at $2,026.41.
Latest Social Security News
A growing number of Americans receiving Social Security benefits are worried that rising tariffs could push inflation beyond what annual cost-of-living adjustments can cover, according to a new survey.
The poll by the Nationwide Retirement Institute found that 66 percent of current recipients believed tariffs would increase prices faster than the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) can keep up with. The SSA calculates the annual COLA, which is designed to help benefits keep up with inflation, based on the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers.
Concern was even higher among future beneficiaries, with 69 percent expressing the same fears.
Many recipients also said they were already under financial strain. About 61 percent said they could not afford to miss even half of a monthly Social Security payment, while more than half reported cutting back on nonessential spending, such as travel and dining out. Almost a third said they had reduced spending on necessities, including groceries and medication.