Why is my first Social Security payment only $375 when my benefit amount shows $2,450?

This happens a lot with first payments. There are a few possible explanations: 1. Partial month payment - If you applied mid-month, your first payment might only cover the days you were eligible 2. Medicare premiums - If you enrolled in Medicare, they deduct the premiums automatically 3. Tax withholding - If you requested federal/state tax withholding 4. Benefit start date misunderstanding - Your eligibility might have started later than you thought The MySSA account should show a payment breakdown, but sometimes it takes a few days to update. When you go to your local office, ask for a complete breakdown of the calculation for your first payment.

the same thing happened to my dad!!! his first check was tiny compared to what ssa told him he would get. turns out they only paid him for like 10 days because of when his bday fell that month or something weird like that. second payment was the full amount. dont panic yet

I had EXACTLY the same issue last year!!! My first payment was supposed to be $1,986 but I only got $412!!! I was FURIOUS and worried they had calculated everything wrong. Spent THREE DAYS trying to get someone on the phone at SSA with no luck. Turns out it was because my benefit start date was the 18th of the month, so I only got paid for the remaining days in that month. The next month's payment was the full amount. SO FRUSTRATING that they don't explain this clearly anywhere!!!

If you're still struggling to reach someone at Social Security to explain this, I'd recommend trying Claimyr (claimyr.com). I was in a similar situation with a partial payment issue and spent days trying to get through on the SSA phones. Claimyr got me connected to an actual SSA agent in about 20 minutes instead of waiting on hold for hours. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU In my case, it turned out to be a combination of a partial month payment plus Medicare premiums that hadn't been clearly explained in my award letter. The agent was able to walk me through exactly what happened and confirm my next payment would be the full amount.

Social Security payments are always paid in arrears, meaning your first payment covers the previous month's benefits. Additionally, there are several factors that affect that initial payment amount: 1. Social Security pays benefits for the month prior - you receive January benefits in February 2. Your entitlement date determines when benefits start - if you reached Full Retirement Age (FRA) mid-month, you only receive benefits from that date forward 3. First payments are often prorated based on your entitlement date 4. Deductions like Medicare Part B ($174.70/month in 2025), Part D, tax withholding, etc. reduce the payment Your MySocialSecurity account should show a payment explanation within 2-3 business days of receiving the deposit. If it doesn't, the field office can print a TPQY (Third Party Query) that breaks down all payment details.

my first check was wrong too but it was because they messed up my earning record!! make sure you double check all your work history is correct because they left off 3 years of my work! had to bring in all my w-2s to prove it. what a hassle

everyone here is talking about partial months but nobody mentioned the earnings test! if ur under FRA and still working they take away $1 for every $2 you earn above the limit. that limit is like $22,000 in 2025 i think?

This happens to everyoooone! SSA is so bad at communicating these things. My first check was like 1/3 of what it was supposed to be and I literally cried thinking they'd calculated everything wrong. Turns out the date you file vs. the date your benefits actually start makes for weird first payments. Check your MySocialSecurity account in a few days - it should show the breakdown!