This Retiree Could Receive 3 Social Security Checks In May 2025

For a lot of people, May is one of the most beautiful months on the calendar. Spring has officially bloomed, the weather tends to be delightful, and in some years, like 2025, there is even extra money built into the calendar. That's because some retirees could receive an additional check from their Social Security benefits in May. While the Social Security Administration can increase benefits by revamping rules, when it comes to the May 2025 bump specifically — it all comes down to timing.

While most retirees can expect to receive their monthly payment from Social Security, thanks to how the SSA schedules their payments, and how the days of the week play out in early June, some beneficiaries can expect an additional check. This is due to the fact that June 1, 2025 — a slated day for the distribution of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits — falls on a Sunday, thereby ensuring that all June payments will instead be made on May 30. For a retiree receiving both SSI and Social Security retirement benefits, this means a third check altogether. 

While the average Social Security benefits for retirees can be affected by things like work history and age, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is instead paid out to a specific group of people — disabled individuals, age 65 and over, with little or no income. According to the SSA, those who qualify for SSI must earn less than $2,019 each month from work. Meanwhile, their resources must also be less than $2,000, while the cut-off figure for couples is $3,000. According to the SSI Federal Payment Amounts for 2025, individuals can receive up to $967 a month while couples max-out at $1,450.

Because SSI payments go out on the first of every month, those who receive these benefits payments will essentially get an advance on their June benefits amount thanks to the scheduled payment on May 30 — in addition to any monthly Social Security check they may receive if they have already filed for retirement benefits.

Knowing what day of the month you receive your Social Security check can be important when calculating your budget. Plus, this knowledge can help you determine if a benefit payment is late. While SSI payments are made on the first day of the month — hence the May 2025 bonus payment — other benefits are paid out along different schedules. With that said, when it comes to regular Social Security benefits (not SSI), the SSA maintains a methodical distribution of benefits determined by your date of birth. The majority of retirees, and other non-SSI beneficiaries, are scheduled to receive their funds on either the second, third, or fourth Wednesday of every month.

Anyone born between the 1st and 10th of the month collects their payments on the second Wednesday, while those born between the 11th and 20th are scheduled to receive funds on the third Wednesday, and those with birthdays from the 21st to the 31st are slotted for the fourth Wednesday. In May 2025, this tracks to the 14th, 21st, and 28th. If you are ever in doubt of when you can expect to receive your payment, download the schedule of Social Security Benefits payments. That way, you can know when to plan for money going into your account each month.