Social Security payments are being sent out this week to beneficiaries with birthdays falling between the first and 10th of any month. They can expect their monthly payment on Wednesday, February 12. To claim Social Security benefits, you must be at least 62 years old and have worked and paid Social Security taxes for a minimum of 10 years.
The amount you receive depends on your lifetime earnings and the number of years you have paid into the system. In 2025, the estimated average retirement benefit will increase by about $49 per month, going from $1,927 to $1,976, due to the annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). This adjustment helps maintain the purchasing power of benefits.
February Social Security payment details
The maximum monthly payment for retirees claiming benefits at the Full Retirement Age, currently 67, is $4,018. If you start benefits at the earliest eligible age of 62, the maximum amount would be $2,831.
However, delaying retirement until age 70 could boost your maximum monthly benefit to as much as $5,108. Former Social Security Commissioner Martin O’Malley said, “Social Security benefits and SSI payments will increase in 2025, helping tens of millions of people keep up with expenses even as inflation has started to cool.”
Independent analyst Mary Johnson noted, “The 2025 COLA will be the lowest received by Social Security beneficiaries since 2021, at the same time inflated prices persist on key essentials such as housing, meats, auto insurance, any type of service and repairs. Despite it being the lowest COLA since 2021, a 2.5 percent COLA would be considered about average.”
The next round of payments will be made on Wednesday, February 19, followed by another payment the following week on February 26.
The SSA advises waiting three business days before contacting them if your payment does not arrive as expected. Federal holidays and weekends are not counted as business days.