The Social Security Administration (SSA) has announced that on March 19, 2025, millions of beneficiaries in the United States will receive their monthly payments. This disbursement corresponds to those who began their benefits after May 1997 and were born between the 11th and 20th of any month. In 2025, SSA registers approximately 68 million beneficiaries.
Of this total, about 3.2 million began receiving benefits before May 1997, while about 64.8 million did so on or after that date. Payments are organized by benefit start date and day of birth, a system that affects retirees, disabled people, survivors, and dependents.
Average and maximum Social Security amounts: More money in your bank account
The average monthly amount for beneficiaries is $1,850, adjusted for a 2.5% cost of living increase (COLA). However, some could receive up to $5,108, depending on their work history and type of benefit, according to official SSA data.
The SSA distributes payments based on two criteria: benefit start date and date of birth. Those who started before May 1997 receive their payment on the 3rd of each month. For those who started on or after that date, the schedule is as follows:
- Second Wednesday (March 12): Born from 1 to 10.
- Third Wednesday (March 19): Born from the 11th to the 20th.
- Fourth Wednesday (March 26): Born from the 21st to the 31st.
March 19, 2025 payments include several types of beneficiaries
The March 19 payments go to different categories of beneficiaries, all connected to an insured worker’s history:
- Retired workers: People who have reached retirement age (66-67 years, depending on year of birth) with sufficient contribution history.
- Disabled workers: Individuals with disabilities that prevent them from working and meeting work requirements.
- Survivors: Spouses, children or dependents of deceased workers who receive benefits for their registration.
- Dependents are also included, such as spouses and children of retirees or disabled people, whose payments coincide with that of the main beneficiary. This scheme covers a wide range of situations.
The amounts vary depending on the type of benefit. For retirees, the average is $1,976; for disabled, $1,580; and for survivors, about $1,400, according to SSA statistics.
Some beneficiaries will receive more money this month
The recent Social Security Fairness Act will impact more than 3.2 million beneficiaries by eliminating the Wind Benefit Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO). These measures affected workers such as teachers and firefighters with pensions not covered by Social Security.
Although the exact effect for March 19 is not detailed, some could receive retroactive payments or increases from April 2025. This could add thousands of dollars to their usual benefits.
The maximum amount of $5,108 applies to retirees with a high earnings history who retired at full age, adjusted for the 2.5% COLA. This reflects variations in payments.
Conversion of SSDI to retirement benefits: How to do it?
When a person receiving SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance) benefits reaches their full retirement age, which is typically between 66 and 67 depending on the year of birth, their disability benefits automatically convert to retirement benefits. The process and what happens with the amounts is explained below:
Automatic conversion: No additional procedures necessary. Once full retirement age is reached, the Social Security system automatically converts SSDI benefits to retirement benefits.
Calculation based on earnings history: Both SSDI and retirement benefits are calculated based on the worker’s work and earnings history. Therefore, the amount received during the disability is the same that will be used for the retirement benefit.
COLA updates apply the same before and after conversion: This means that the value of the benefit is adjusted to reflect changes in the economy, maintaining the purchasing power of the beneficiary.
