Social Security said first check on 2/12/25 but nothing in my bank account - should I be worried?
Just got my award letter from Social Security last week and it clearly states my first retirement benefit payment should be deposited on February 12th, 2025 (today!). I've been checking my bank account obsessively since midnight but nothing has shown up yet! This is my first SS payment and I'm getting really anxious. Do deposits usually come through later in the day? Or should I be calling SSA already? I applied online back in November and everything seemed to go smoothly until now. Really counting on this payment to cover some bills due next week...
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Rachel Tao
Relax! Mine always shows up around 3am on payment day. The banks process these overnight. Check again tomorrow morning.
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Sayid Hassan
•Thanks, that's good to know! I've just been so nervous about this whole process. Will try to be patient and check again in the morning.
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Derek Olson
Social Security deposits can take up to 3 business days to appear in your account, even though they have a specific payment date. This is normal for first-time payments especially. The payment date on your award letter is when SSA releases the funds, not necessarily when they'll show in your bank. If you don't see it by Friday, then you should contact SSA to follow up. Also, double-check that you provided the correct direct deposit information during your application.
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Sayid Hassan
•Oh wow, I didn't realize there could be a 3-day delay! The letter made it sound like it would be there ON the 12th. I'm pretty sure my banking info was correct, but I'll double check my MySocialSecurity account right now.
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Danielle Mays
My first check was like 5 days late and I panicked for nothing!!! SSA doesnt really give u good info about delays. just wait a lil longer before u stress
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Sayid Hassan
•5 days?! That's so frustrating they don't tell us that upfront. Thanks for sharing your experience, makes me feel better knowing I'm not alone in this.
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Roger Romero
The EXACT same thing happened to me last month with my SSDI payment. Payment date on letter said January 15th, but nothing showed up until the 17th! I called and waited on hold for TWO HOURS just to be told "it's normal for first payments to be delayed" and "just be patient." The system is so broken - they expect us to follow every rule perfectly but can't even get payments out on time. And good luck getting someone on the phone to explain what's going on!
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Anna Kerber
•If you need to reach SSA by phone without the endless wait times, I had great success using Claimyr. It's a service that navigates the phone system for you and calls you back when they have an agent on the line. Saved me hours of frustration when I had payment issues last year. Check out their demo at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU or go to claimyr.com - so much better than waiting on hold all day!
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Niko Ramsey
In my experience working with SS beneficiaries, first payments often follow a different timeline than recurring payments. Your regular monthly deposits will be much more predictable once they start. The first payment sometimes includes back benefits if applicable, which requires additional processing time. Also, if the 12th falls on a weekend or holiday in future months, the payment would be made on the preceding business day, but this doesn't apply to your situation since today is a regular business day. I'd recommend waiting until at least Friday before contacting SSA. When you do need to call, try early morning (right when they open) for shorter wait times.
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Sayid Hassan
•Thank you for the detailed explanation! That makes a lot of sense about the first payment being different from recurring ones. I didn't have any backpay coming so hopefully that means it will process quickly. I'll definitely wait until Friday before trying to call.
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Seraphina Delan
did u check if they have the right bank info? i got a letter saying deposit but they had my account # wrong so they ended up mailing a check instead. took extra 2 weeks!!
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Sayid Hassan
•Just double-checked my MySocialSecurity account and the banking info looks correct. That sounds awful having to wait 2 extra weeks for a paper check! Hope I don't end up in that situation.
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Rachel Tao
Anyone know if the payment date on the award letter is when they send it or when ur supposed to get it? Mine said the 3rd but came on the 5th last month
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Niko Ramsey
•The payment date on SSA award letters indicates when they release the payment to your financial institution, not necessarily when it will appear in your account. Banking processing times vary, which explains the 1-3 day difference many experience. Once you're receiving regular benefits, you'll find they follow a very consistent schedule based on your birth date.
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Derek Olson
Just wanted to follow up - did your payment show up yet? First payments sometimes take up to 5 business days to process through the banking system, especially if your bank has a hold policy for new direct deposits. For future reference, recurring Social Security retirement benefits are paid on the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th Wednesday of each month, depending on your birth date. Since this is your first payment, it's on a different schedule, but going forward it will be more predictable.
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Sayid Hassan
•It finally showed up this morning! What a relief. And thanks for the info about the Wednesday schedule based on birth date - that's good to know for future months. I appreciate everyone's help and reassurance!
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