When will my Social Security check arrive if I start benefits on April 6 - May or June?
Quick question about SS benefit timing that's got me confused. I'm planning to start collecting Social Security on April 6th this year. Would my first actual payment arrive in May or would I have to wait until June? I'm trying to figure out if I need to wait until a full complete month has passed after my start date, then get the check the following month (which would be June). My budget planning depends on knowing exactly when that first payment hits my account. Thanks for any help!
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Santiago Martinez
Social Security benefits are paid in the month FOLLOWING the month they're due for. So if you start collecting in April, your April benefit would be paid in May. But since your start date is April 6th, that first check will be prorated for only part of April (from the 6th onward). Hope that helps with your budget planning!
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Natalie Chen
•Thanks! So I'll definitely see something in May then? Even though I'm starting partway through April?
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Samantha Johnson
It depends on your birthday actually! Social Security pays benefits based on birth date now: - Born 1st-10th: Second Wednesday - Born 11th-20th: Third Wednesday - Born 21st-31st: Fourth Wednesday So your first payment would be in May, but the exact date depends on your birthday. And yes, it will be prorated from April 6th, not for the full month.
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Natalie Chen
•Oh! My birthday is actually November 14th. So I guess that means I'd get paid on the third Wednesday of May for my partial April benefit?
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Nick Kravitz
Speaking from experience, YES you will get your first check in MAY! I started my SS retirement on Feb 12 last year, and got my first payment in March. It was prorated for the partial month. They don't make you wait a full month + another month. The payment is for April, paid in May. That's how it works!!
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Hannah White
•That wasnt my experience AT ALL!!!! When I filed they took FOREVER to process and I ended up waiting almost 3 months before I saw a penny. Don't count on anything arriving when it should with SSA these days!!!
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Michael Green
If u filed ur application already, ur good. If not, file ASAP! They can backdate retirement up to 6 months but only if u ask for it. First check in May for sure but prorated.
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Natalie Chen
•I haven't filed yet but plan to this week. I didn't know about the backdating option - interesting! But I don't need to go back, April works for my situation.
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Mateo Silva
Just wanted to add that you should double-check your payment method with SSA. Direct deposit arrives faster than paper checks. I missed a payment because they had my old address and the check went missing. Make sure all your info is updated before your first payment to avoid delays!
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Victoria Jones
•OMG trying to get them on the phone to update payment info is IMPOSSIBLE these days. I spent 3 days calling SSA and kept getting disconnected or put on eternal hold. I finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to a real person in under 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU - totally worth it for avoiding the phone nightmare! Saved me hours of frustration when I needed to fix my direct deposit.
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Hannah White
Watch out for the earnings limit if your still working!!! If your under FRA (full retirement age) and make over $21,240 in 2025 they will take back $1 for every $2 you earn over that amount. MANY people don't know this and get SHOCKED when SS demands money back!!!
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Samantha Johnson
•This is an important point about the earnings limit. Just to clarify, if you're reaching your Full Retirement Age in 2025, the limit is higher - $56,520 for the months before reaching FRA. And once you reach your FRA, there's no earnings limit at all.
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Nick Kravitz
One more thing to know - if you file on April 6th, your payment date will be based on your birthday as others mentioned, but your actual benefit amount is based on the month. So even though you're starting on the 6th, you'll get credit from April 1st. Social Security doesn't prorate by days within a month - they pay by full month once you've filed within that month.
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Natalie Chen
•Wait, really? So even though I'm filing on April 6th, I'd actually get the FULL April payment, not just from the 6th onward? That would be great news for my budget!
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Samantha Johnson
•No, that's not correct. If your benefit start date is April 6th, your first month WILL be prorated. You only receive benefits for the days of the month you're entitled to them. The person above is confusing the application date with the benefit start date.
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Drew Hathaway
•@Samantha Johnson is correct here. I went through this exact situation last year when I started benefits mid-month. Social Security definitely prorates your first payment based on your actual start date, not from the 1st of the month. So if you file with an April 6th start date, you ll'only get paid for April 6th through April 30th in your May payment. Don t'want you to budget expecting a full month s'payment when it will be less!
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Amina Sy
Just to add some clarity on the timing - I work for a benefits consulting firm and help people navigate Social Security all the time. Here's the definitive answer: If you start benefits on April 6th, you'll receive your first payment in May, and it WILL be prorated from April 6-30. The payment schedule is based on your birth date (since yours is November 14th, you'd get paid on the 3rd Wednesday of May). Make sure to file your application soon since processing can take a few weeks, and definitely set up direct deposit to avoid any mail delays. The prorated amount will be roughly 25/30ths of your full monthly benefit since you're starting on the 6th of a 30-day month.
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Samantha Howard
•Thank you so much for the detailed breakdown! That's exactly what I needed to know. So I'm looking at getting about 83% of my full benefit amount in that first May payment (25 days out of 30). And the third Wednesday in May would be the 21st this year, so I can mark that on my calendar. I really appreciate everyone's help - this community is amazing for getting real answers about Social Security timing!
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Kaiya Rivera
Welcome to the community! I see you're getting great advice here. Just wanted to add that when you do file your application, make sure to keep a copy of your confirmation number and any paperwork. Also, if you're planning to have taxes withheld from your Social Security payments, you'll need to submit Form W-4V or request it during the application process. Many people forget about this until tax time and then get surprised by owing taxes. Good luck with your application!
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Dominic Green
•Thanks for the warm welcome and the tax tip! I hadn't thought about withholding taxes from my Social Security payments. That's definitely something I should consider since I'll likely still have some other income. Do you know what percentage most people typically have withheld, or is there a standard recommendation? I'd rather not get hit with a big tax bill next year!
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Charity Cohan
•@Kaiya Rivera That s'a great question about tax withholding! The standard options for Social Security tax withholding are 7%, 10%, 12%, or 22%. Most people I know choose either 10% or 12% depending on their total income situation. Since you mentioned having other income, I d'suggest talking to a tax professional or using the IRS withholding calculator to figure out what percentage makes sense for your specific situation. It s'definitely better to have a little extra withheld than to owe a big chunk at tax time!
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Butch Sledgehammer
Hey Natalie! As a newcomer here, I just wanted to say this thread has been incredibly helpful to read through. I'm in a similar situation - planning to start my benefits soon and had the same confusion about timing. From everything I've seen here, it sounds like you'll definitely get your first payment in May (around the 21st since your birthday is in November), and it'll be prorated for the partial April month. One thing I noticed that might help - several people mentioned filing your application ASAP since processing takes time. Better to get that paperwork in motion now rather than risk any delays. This community seems really knowledgeable about the ins and outs of Social Security timing!
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Rachel Tao
•Hi @Butch Sledgehammer and welcome to the community! I m'new here too and you re'absolutely right - this thread has been a goldmine of information. I was honestly pretty confused when I first posted, but everyone here has been so helpful in breaking down the timing and payment schedule. It s'reassuring to know that others are going through similar situations with starting Social Security benefits. The advice about filing the application soon really resonates with me - I definitely don t'want to risk any processing delays that could push back my first payment. Thanks for jumping in and sharing your perspective! It s'nice to connect with someone else who s'navigating this process for the first time.
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