The Social Security Administration (SSA) has released the retirement benefit distribution schedule for January 2025. This process includes three distribution dates for beneficiaries, which are organized by their birth date.
Furthermore, we must inform you that significant changes will be implemented to increase Social Security benefits for millions of users across the United States; however, those who benefit from this extraordinary increase must meet certain requirements, which we will discuss further in this article.
First, let’s look at the Social Security payment dates for January
According to the established calendar, payments will be made on January 8, 15, and 22, depending on each beneficiary’s birth date:
- January 8: Beneficiaries born between the 1st and 10th of each month.
- January 15: Beneficiaries born between the 11th and the 20th.
- January 22: Beneficiaries born between 21 and 31.
Other SSA benefits have varying payment dates. For instance, SSI recipients received their January payment on December 31, 2024. This payment was supposed to be sent on the 1st, but it was a holiday, so the agency moved it to the next available business day.
Beneficiaries who started receiving Social Security before May 1997, or those receiving both Social Security and SSI, received SSI on January 31, December, and Social Security on Friday, January 3.
Maximum amounts for this month
The amount of monthly payments varies according to retirement age and reported earnings during working years. The amounts determined for January 2025 are as follows:
- $4,018 for those who claimed benefits at full retirement age (FRA).
- $2,831 for those who retired at age 62, the minimum eligible age.
- $5,108 for those who waited until age 70 to start receiving benefits.
The 2.5% cost of living adjustment (COLA) will be applied to these amounts beginning in January 2025, slightly increasing payments compared to those received in 2024.
At what age it is best to claim retirement: this is what the SSA indicates about it
The FRA is determined by each person’s birth year and represents the point at which they can receive full benefits without any reductions. Those who retire before this age, such as at 62, face a proportional reduction known as a “early adjustment.” This reduction can be up to 30% if benefits are chosen at the minimum age.
Delaying retirement until age 70, on the other hand, allows beneficiaries to accumulate a large number of “delayed retirement credits,” which significantly increases the monthly income received.
Biden administration changes to Social Security that could increase your benefits
In December 2024, President Joe Biden signed the Social Security Fairness Act, which aims to increase benefits for specific groups such as teachers, firefighters, and police officers. The new legislation eliminates the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO).
These reforms aim to address historical inequalities that have impacted retirement benefits for certain public sector employees. As of December 2023, the GPO affected approximately 745,000 beneficiaries (1% of the total), while the WEP reduced the benefits of 2.1 million (3%) (Congressional Research Service data).
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that WEP beneficiaries will receive an average monthly increase of $360 by the end of 2025. Individuals affected by the GPO may experience monthly increases ranging from $700 to $1,190, based on their circumstances.
