This April, the Social Security Administration (SSA) will send out payments to nearly 70 million Americans, including retirees, survivors, people with disabilities, and low-income individuals. With recent changes introduced by the Social Security Fairness Act, signed into law in December 2023, some recipients will see higher payments starting this month.
April 1: SSI Payments for Seniors and People with Disabilities
The month kicks off with Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments on April 1, 2025. These payments go to:
- Seniors aged 65 and older
- Individuals with disabilities (visual or physical)
- People with very limited income or resources
The maximum SSI benefit in 2025 is:
- $967 for individuals
- $1,450 for couples
SSI payments always go out at the start of the month, helping the most vulnerable groups maintain some financial stability.
April 3: Retirement Payments for Pre-May 1997 Retirees
If you started receiving Social Security retirement benefits before May 1997, you will get your monthly payment on April 3. This date also applies to retirees who receive both SSI and Social Security benefits, for easier processing.
If your payment doesn’t arrive on time, the SSA recommends waiting three business days (excluding holidays and weekends) before reporting any delay.
April 9, 16, and 23: Payments Based on Your Birthday
If you started receiving retirement benefits after May 1997, your payment date depends on your birthdate:
- April 9: Birthdays between 1st–10th
- April 16: Birthdays between 11th–20th
- April 23: Birthdays between 21st–31st
How Much Will You Get?
Your retirement amount depends on your age at retirement:
- $2,831/month if you retired at age 62
- $4,018/month if you retired at full retirement age
- $5,108/month if you waited until age 70
The actual amount also depends on your work history and Social Security contributions over the years.
Some Retirees Will Receive Extra Payments This Month
Thanks to the Social Security Fairness Act, many retirees who previously faced benefit reductions are now seeing higher monthly checks. This law removed two older rules that reduced payments for people with pensions from jobs not covered by Social Security, such as:
- Teachers
- Police officers
- Firefighters
This change affects over 3.2 million people, including spouses and widows. In March 2025, some already received a retroactive payment for missed benefits. Now, from April onwards, these new increases will be permanent.
Monthly Increase Amounts:
- $360 extra for most retirees
- $700 extra for spouses
- $1,190 extra for widows or widowers
Note: Some complex cases may take up to a year for the SSA to manually review and update. If your April payment seems the same as March and you believe you qualify for the increase, contact the SSA immediately to get it reviewed.