Every month, the United States Social Security Administration (SSA) sends retirement and disability payments to eligible citizens. But these payments are not sent to everyone at once. Instead, different groups of beneficiaries receive their checks on different days throughout the month.
Today, April 3rd, 2025, marks the first Social Security payment of the month. If you are part of Group 1 retirees, you may see money in your account today—but only if you meet specific requirements.
Knowing the exact day you’ll get your payment helps you plan your household budget better. In April, payments are divided across four different dates, based on when you started receiving Social Security benefits and your chosen payment method.
Who Receives Their Social Security Payment on April 3rd?
Only Group 1 retirees are eligible for the April 3rd Social Security payment. To be part of Group 1, you must meet this key requirement:
You must have started receiving Social Security before May 1997.
This group includes all types of retirement benefits—whether you are retired due to age, disability, spousal support, or other reasons. However, just being eligible for benefits isn’t enough to get your money today.
You’ll also need to have Direct Deposit set up with the SSA to receive the money quickly in your bank account. This method sends the money directly and is much faster than traditional checks or other methods, which can take days longer.
If you haven’t activated Direct Deposit, your payment will still arrive, but it might show up later this week or next week.
What Are the Social Security Payment Groups?
The SSA sends out payments in four different rounds every month. Each group depends on the date the person started receiving benefits:
- Group 1 – Retired before May 1997 → Paid on April 3rd
- Group 2 – Retired after May 1997 and birthday falls between 1st–10th → Paid April 10th
- Group 3 – Birthday between 11th–20th → Paid April 17th
- Group 4 – Birthday between 21st–31st → Paid April 24th
This system helps the SSA manage the huge number of payments more efficiently.
Maximum Amounts for Social Security Payments in April 2025
Not everyone receives the same Social Security check. The amount depends on the type of retirement or benefit you are receiving.
Here are the maximum Social Security benefit amounts for April 2025:
- Retirement due to age: Up to $5,180 per month
- Disability benefits: Up to $4,018 per month
Keep in mind, these are the maximum possible amounts, and only a small number of people qualify for them. Most people receive a lower monthly payment based on their earnings history, years of work, and the age at which they started collecting benefits.