Social Security payments arrive one month after they're due - confused about November benefits

Social Security benefits are paid for the previous month, not the current one. So yes, your November payment will arrive in December. It's confusing at first! Your payment received in October was actually for September. That's why when you first apply for retirement benefits, there's typically a one-month gap before your first payment arrives.

ya thats right. u get paid for the month AFTER. kinda annoying but thats how they do it. Been getting ss for 3 years now and still trips me up sometimes lol

I had the SAME confusion when I started getting my retirement!!! The SSA makes EVERYTHING so complicated!!! I actually went to my local office and waited 3 HOURS just to get this answered because I was so confused about why my budget wasn't working out. They told me that yes, December's payment is for November's benefit. It's always a month behind!

To be precise about terminology: Social Security benefits are paid in arrears, which means they are paid after they are due. Benefits for a particular month are paid the following month. For retirement benefits, if your birthday is between the 1st and 10th, you'll be paid on the second Wednesday of the month. If it's between the 11th and 20th, payment comes on the third Wednesday. If it's between the 21st and 31st, you'll be paid on the fourth Wednesday. So your November benefit will arrive in December on your scheduled Wednesday based on your birth date.

I wasted THREE MONTHS of phone calls trying to figure this out when I first got on Social Security! Called every day for weeks and could never get through to anyone. The whole "paid a month behind" thing isn't explained clearly anywhere. By the time I figured it out, I'd already messed up my budget and had to take out a loan to cover expenses. The SSA system is BROKEN!

@profile9 Never heard of that service before. I'll check it out next time I need to call them, which knowing the SSA will probably be soon. Thanks!

just remember: december money = november benefits. january money = december benefits. and so on... once u get used to it its fine

One additional thing to note - this is why when people pass away, sometimes their survivors don't understand why they need to return the final payment. If someone passes away in November, they aren't entitled to November's payment (which comes in December) because they didn't live through the entire benefit month. The SSA will want that payment back if it's deposited. Just something to be aware of for future reference.

I appreciate everyone's help! This makes much more sense now. I'll adjust my holiday budget accordingly knowing that my November benefits won't arrive until December. The payment schedule based on birth date is also really helpful information.