Millions of Americans who rely on Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) count on their monthly benefits to cover essential expenses. As May gets underway, many are scanning their bank accounts for a direct deposit. But for some, Wednesday, May 7 will come and go without a payment—and there’s a clear reason why.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) operates under a rigid and pre-planned payment calendar. Unlike other types of disbursements, SSDI benefits are issued based on the beneficiary’s date of birth and follow a set Wednesday-based schedule. May 7, however, does not fall into any group scheduled to receive benefits—especially for those receiving disability checks.
How SSDI payments are distributed in May
If you’re an SSDI recipient, your payment date is determined by your birth date and not by the day you applied or the day of the month itself. Here’s how SSDI checks will be distributed in May 2025:
- May 2: For those who began receiving benefits before May 1997
- May 14: For beneficiaries born between the 1st and 10th
- May 21: For those with birthdays from the 11th to the 20th
- May 28: For individuals born between the 21st and 31st
If your birth date falls between May 1 and May 10, your SSDI check will arrive on May 14, not May 7. That’s because the SSA only issues disability payments on the second, third, and fourth Wednesdays of each month—never the first Wednesday, unless it’s for pre-1997 recipients.
Why no SSDI payment lands on May 7
The absence of a deposit on May 7 is not an error. Instead, it reflects the SSA’s deliberate system designed to ensure predictability and balance in distributing billions in monthly benefits. By spreading payments across several weeks, the agency avoids overloading banks and SSA systems, and ensures recipients receive funds in a timely and orderly manner.
For SSDI beneficiaries, this means understanding the calendar is crucial. If May 7 was a date you were expecting a payment, it’s likely a misunderstanding of the schedule—not a delay or missed deposit.
Looking ahead, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) beneficiaries will receive their June payment early, on May 30, because June 1 falls on a weekend—a standard SSA adjustment.