May's SSDI checks are headed to beneficiaries soon. Here's this month's payment schedule.
The second round of Social Security Disability Insurance payments for May 2025 may have taken a while to arrive, but recipients will begin receiving their payments in just a few short days. What round you receive your payment is dependent on either how long you've been receiving SSDI, whether you also receive SSI or what day of the month you were born. We'll explain.
The Social Security Administration sends monthly payments to people who have a disability that stops or limits their ability to work. Depending on their individual situation, others may qualify and can apply for SSDI as well.
We'll break down the full SSDI payment schedule for the month of May and how your payment date is calculated so you'll know exactly when you can expect your check.
For more, here's what you can do if you're last payment never arrived, and here's the Supplemental Security Income payment schedule.
Payment schedule if you've had SSDI since May 1997 or earlier
If you started getting SSDI before May 1997, you'd usually receive your payment on the third day of every month. Note that this isn't always the case, like when the third day falls on a weekend or holiday. For 2025, this will happen in May and August, so you can expect to receive your payment during these months 1-2 days earlier.
For everyone else, payments are birth date-dependent
If you began receiving SSDI after May 1997, then your payment date is determined by the day of the month you were born. Payments are typically paid out on the second, third and fourth Wednesday of the month. Which Wednesday you get your check breaks down like this:
| Birthdate between | Social Security check date |
|---|---|
| 1 and 10 of the month | Second Wednesday of the month |
| 11 and 20 of the month | Third Wednesday of the month |
| 21 and 31 of the month | Fourth Wednesday of the month |
Here's when you'll get your SSDI payment in May
Here's when your SSDI payment should arrive this month:
| If you've received Social Security before May 1997 | May 2 |
|---|---|
| If your birthday falls between day 1 and 10 of the month | May 14 |
| If your birthday falls between day 11 and 20 of the month | May 21 |
| If your birthday falls between day 21 and 31 of the month | May 28 |
How does 2025 COLA affect my payment?
The COLA for 2025 introduced a 2.5% increase in monthly benefit checks, but exactly how much of an increase will depend on several factors. Any monthly income, how long you've received benefits and what type of benefit you receive can result in a different payment increase. Recipients should have received their COLA notice sometime in December with specific details on their case. A COLA of 2.5% will add about $48 to the average benefits check.
For more, don't miss four ways you could lose your Social Security benefits and how to apply for SSI.
