Social Security payment not received on usual 23rd deposit date - should I be worried?
I'm getting a bit worried because my Social Security retirement payment normally hits my bank account on the 23rd like clockwork, but it's now the 25th and still nothing showing up. I've been getting my benefits for almost 3 years and this is the first time it hasn't arrived on schedule. I checked my online account at MySocialSecurity and everything looks normal there - no messages or alerts. Is this something that happens occasionally with SSA payments? Should I be concerned or just wait a few more days? Bank says they don't see any pending deposits either.
19 comments
Ava Martinez
Have you checked if the 23rd fell on a weekend or holiday? Sometimes that can delay things by a day or two. I wouldn't worry too much yet.
0 coins
Dmitry Sokolov
•The 23rd was actually a Tuesday this month, so that's not it unfortunately. Thanks for the suggestion though!
0 coins
Miguel Ramos
This happened to me once last year. Turned out there was a processing delay at the Treasury Department that affected a bunch of direct deposits. It showed up 3 days late with no explanation. If it's not there by the end of the week, then I'd start making calls to SSA.
0 coins
QuantumQuasar
•Same here! Mine was late 2 months ago and I freaked out but it just randomly appeared on day 4. The government never even told us why.
0 coins
Zainab Omar
Did you recently change anything with your direct deposit information? Or update your address with SSA? Sometimes even small changes can trigger a review that holds up a payment cycle.
0 coins
Dmitry Sokolov
•No changes at all - that's what's strange. Same bank account for years, same address, haven't updated anything recently. I was wondering if maybe it's happening to other people too right now?
0 coins
Connor Gallagher
SSA payments are generally very reliable, but occasionally there can be processing delays in the Treasury Department's Automated Clearing House (ACH) system. Before panicking, I'd recommend checking if your payment status has changed in your MySocialSecurity account. Look under the "Benefits & Payments" section. If it shows as processed but not received, that suggests the issue is between Treasury and your bank. If you're receiving SSDI or retirement benefits, delays beyond 3 days are unusual and worth calling about.
0 coins
Dmitry Sokolov
•Thanks for this detailed response. I checked my account again and it still shows as processed on the normal date. I guess I'll give it until Friday and then try calling if it hasn't appeared.
0 coins
Yara Sayegh
I had something similar happen in January and spent THREE DAYS trying to get through to someone at SS!!! Kept getting busy signals or disconnected after waiting for an hour!!! SO FRUSTRATING!!!! Turned out it was some stupid computer glitch on their end. THEY NEVER EVEN APOLOGIZED!
0 coins
Keisha Johnson
•I know what you mean about trying to reach them! I've had better luck using that Claimyr service (claimyr.com) to get through to SSA. They somehow get you past the busy signals and connect you directly with an agent. Saved me hours of frustration when I had an issue with my survivor benefits. They have a video showing how it works at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU - definitely worth it for situations like this when you need to actually talk to someone.
0 coins
Ava Martinez
my mom had this happen like 2 yrs ago & it turned out her bank was holding deposits longer for some reason. she called the bank and they released it same day. might not be SSA at all
0 coins
Dmitry Sokolov
•Hmm, that's interesting. My bank says they don't see anything pending, but maybe I should go into a branch and ask more questions. Thanks!
0 coins
QuantumQuasar
Does anyone know if there's a government shutdown thing happening? I heard something on the news about budget issues. Maybe thats why?
0 coins
Connor Gallagher
•Social Security payments are considered mandatory spending and continue even during government shutdowns. The current budget discussions wouldn't affect direct deposits of benefits. Also, there's no active shutdown at the moment - just typical Congressional budget negotiations.
0 coins
Miguel Ramos
If you're on SSDI rather than retirement benefits, sometimes they do random continuing disability reviews that can delay payments. But they usually notify you first. Are you on disability or regular retirement?
0 coins
Dmitry Sokolov
•I'm on regular retirement benefits, not disability. Haven't received any notices about reviews or anything changing. That's why it seems so random.
0 coins
Keisha Johnson
Update: My payment just came through this morning! It was exactly 3 days late with no explanation. The SSA representative I finally reached said there was a processing delay affecting some beneficiaries in my region. She mentioned it had to do with a system update they're implementing. For anyone else experiencing this - you might just need to wait a few days. Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions!
0 coins
Ava Martinez
•Glad it worked out! Thanks for letting us know what happened!
0 coins
Zainab Omar
•This is really good to know. I'm going to save this thread in case mine is ever late. Never had an issue before but always good to be prepared!
0 coins