As April payments have been distributed, Social Security beneficiaries in the United States are beginning to look ahead to May. Each new month brings a new round of payments, and not all retirees get their money at the same time. In fact, the day your check is issued depends on several factors, such as your date of birth or the year you began receiving benefits.
May is a particularly eagerly awaited month for millions of citizens, as payment usually arrives in the first few days of the month for a specific group. This dynamic leads many to wonder if they are in the right group or if they will get their money on the expected day.
May 2, 2025 will be a key date. That is when the first payment of the month is issued, but not all retirees qualify to receive it. This payment is reserved exclusively for a very specific group of beneficiaries.
Who receives the new Social Security?
The check for May 2, 2025 will only be received by members of group 1, that is, those citizens who began receiving their Social Security benefits before May 1997.
This group is always assigned the first payment date of the month, regardless of their date of birth. This is an organizational advantage designed for those who have been in the system the longest and, in most cases, are already accustomed to this schedule.
Unlike the other groups, retirees in group 1 do not have to depend on their date of birth. Their only requirement is that their first benefit was issued before the May 1997 cutoff date. If this condition is not met, the check will arrive later in the month.
Requirements for other Social Security payments in May 2025
Other retirees, who are part of groups 2, 3, and 4, will get their payments throughout the month, but not before the 14th. These are the conditions:
- Group 2: gets payment on May 14. This includes those who began receiving payments after May 1997 and were born between the 1st and 10th of the month.
- Group 3: receives payment on May 21. Applies to beneficiaries after May 1997 and whose birthdays fall between the 11th and 20th.
- Group 4: will receive their check on May 28. This group is made up of those who also began receiving payments after May 1997, but were born between the 21st and 31st of the month.
Knowing these groups and their conditions is essential for better planning your monthly finances. And above all, remember that if you are not part of group 1, you will not get your payment on May 2, even if you have received payments on that date in previous months.