In May 2025, 7.4 million Americans who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) will be receiving two payments instead of the usual one, according to The Social Security Administration. These payments will be issued on May 1st and May 30th. This adjustment ensures that no one is financially disadvantaged when the first of the month falls on a weekend or holiday.
According to a Newsweek report, the Social Security Administration (SSA) has stated that this schedule will help beneficiaries avoid delays and inconvenience. While the typical payment is made on the 1st of the month, this adjustment ensures timely disbursements without unnecessary wait times.
Why the Double Payment?
Typically, SSI recipients receive their benefits on the 1st of each month. However, when the 1st falls on a weekend or a federal holiday, payments are moved to the last business day of the previous month. As the 1st of May falls on a Thursday in 2025, recipients will get an early payment on that date, followed by a second one on May 30th.
According to the Social Security Administration (SSA),
When the first day of the month falls on the weekend or a Federal holiday, you receive your SSI payment on the last business day before the first day of the month,
as noted in a 2022 blog post.
That means you may get two SSI payments in the same month.
The SSA further explained,
We do this to avoid putting you at a financial disadvantage and make sure that you don’t have to wait beyond the first of the month to get your payment. It does not mean that you are receiving a duplicate payment in the previous month, so you do not need to contact us to report the second payment.
Other Social Security Payment Dates in May
While SSI benefits are typically paid at the start of the month, other social security benefits are distributed based on specific schedules:
- Friday, May 2: Retirement benefits for those who have been receiving payments since before May 1997, and those receiving both retirement and SSI benefits.
- Wednesday, May 14: Payments for those born between the 1st and 10th of any month.
- Wednesday, May 21: Payments for those born between the 11th and 20th of any month.
- Wednesday, May 28: Payments for those born between the 21st and 31st of any month.
How Much Are SSI Benefits?
The maximum SSI benefit for 2025 is $967 per month for individuals and $1,450 for couples. However, the amount may be lower depending on various factors such as income from work, support from family members, and living arrangements.
SSI is available to individuals with limited income—up to $2,019 per month from work and less than $988 from other non-work sources like pensions or unemployment. The income threshold is higher for couples and for parents applying for children.
If recipients do not receive their payment as expected, the SSA advises waiting three business days before contacting the agency. Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays are not considered working days.
