Your Social Security check is safe during the shutdown, but there’s a catch you need to know about

A recent article addresses concerns among Social Security recipients regarding the federal government shutdown, benefit payments, and recent policy changes. It clarifies that while monthly payments will continue uninterrupted, other services may be affected, and some recipients could see changes in their check amounts due to cost-of-living adjustments and overpayment recoupment policies. These are the 5 takeaways from the original article.

1. Payments Continue Despite Shutdown, but Office Services are Limited

Despite a partial federal government shutdown, the Social Security Administration has confirmed that all Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments will continue to be issued on their regular schedules. However, local field offices will operate with reduced services. While essential transactions like applying for benefits, appealing a decision, changing an address, or replacing a Social Security card are still available, other services are temporarily suspended. These include obtaining benefit-proof letters, replacing Medicare cards, and getting updates to earnings records. Recipients can find ongoing updates on the shutdown’s impact at ssa.gov/agency/shutdown.

2. Benefit Amounts Vary Greatly by Retirement Age

The monthly benefit a retiree receives is not a flat rate and depends heavily on their earnings history and the age at which they claim benefits. For 2025, the average monthly benefit for retired workers is $2,008.31. The maximum possible benefit varies significantly by retirement age: an individual retiring at age 62 can receive a maximum of $2,831, while waiting until the full retirement age of 67 increases the maximum to $4,018. Those who delay retirement until age 70 are eligible for the highest maximum benefit of $5,108. This illustrates the financial incentive for delaying the start of Social Security benefits.

3. A 2.5% Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) is Set for 2025

The Social Security Administration announced a 2.5% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for 2025, which translates to an approximate $50 monthly increase for the average recipient. This adjustment, intended to help benefits keep pace with inflation, is calculated using third-quarter data from the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W). The 2.5% increase is modest compared to recent years but is in line with the 2.6% average COLA over the past two decades.

4. Benefit Payment Dates Depend on Birthdate

The specific day a recipient receives their monthly Social Security payment is determined by their birthdate. Individuals born between the 1st and 10th of the month are paid on the second Wednesday. Those with birthdays between the 11th and 20th receive their benefits on the third Wednesday, and those born between the 21st and 31st are paid on the fourth Wednesday. Exceptions exist for individuals who have been receiving benefits since before May 1997 or who receive both Social Security and SSI; these groups are typically paid earlier, on the 1st and 3rd of the month, respectively.

5. The SSA May Withhold 50% of Benefits to Recoup Overpayments

The Social Security Administration has implemented a new policy to withhold up to 50% of monthly benefits from recipients who were previously overpaid. Overpayments often happen when a recipient’s income changes without being reported, resulting in a higher benefit than they were entitled to. This aggressive recoupment strategy follows a temporary suspension of overpayment withholdings during the pandemic. After reinstating them at a 10% rate last year and briefly proposing a 100% withholding, the agency settled on the 50% rate, which could significantly reduce the monthly income for affected individuals until the debt is repaid.