The new payment schedule of the Social Security Administration in the United States is about to begin, as we are facing the beginning of a new month. And as a new month begins with a new Supplemental Security Income payment, it is normal for some Americans to wonder if there is a possibility of increasing the amount of this check.
It is widely known by all that the Supplemental Security Income payment has a maximum of $943 in 2024. This maximum payment increased from $914 in 2023 thanks to the 3.2% COLA applied since the first of the January checks. So we are looking at an extra benefit that reaches almost $1,000 on the highest checks.
And to find out if we can increase the Supplemental Security Income checks we get each month, the first thing we need to do is to understand how the payment system works. Once we understand how the Social Security Administration determines what the SSI check is for each recipient, we can find out if we will actually get an increase in this payment in February.
How do I get a Supplemental Security Income increase in February?
As we have discussed, in order to know if we will actually get an increase and how we can go about getting it, we need to understand the system. There are two requirements for the Social Security Administration to send us Supplemental Security Income each month. The first is to be 65 or older or have a disability. The second requirement is to have a low monthly income.
And it is this second requirement that determines the amount that we will get each month with this benefit. The lower the monthly income we have, the higher the SSI will be. In this way, citizens who need it the most will get more money from Social Security under this type of benefit.
Therefore, to get a higher check we must have lower income. If our usual income goes down next month we will get a larger Supplemental Security Income check. However, this could go the other way as well, i.e., if we start having higher monthly income the money we get from SSI will be less. Remember that the maximum is $943.
When do Social Security payments arrive in February 2024?
The Social Security Administration will send out the payments for the various benefit checks in the month of February on five different days. On each of these days, Americans will be able to get one of their payments. It is possible that we may get up to two different payments in the next month, although it all depends on our individual situation.
Here is the complete February 2024 schedule for Supplemental Security Income and all other Social Security payments:
- February 1st. This month’s Supplemental Security Income payment. All recipients get payment on the same day.
- February 2nd. Check for pre-1997 retirees.
- February 14th. Post-1997 retirees with birthdays between the 1st and 10th get this payment.
- February 21st. Post-1997 Social Security beneficiaries with birthdays between the 11th and 20th are paid on this day.
- February 28th. Post-1997 Social Security retirees with birthdays between the 21st and 31st of the month may be paid on this day of the month.
Remember that to get payment on the same day you send it, you need to activate Direct Deposit. On the other hand, it is also good to keep in mind that Social Security payments only arrive once a month, but it is possible to combine them with Supplemental Security Income payments.