Social Security Payments on March 26
There is big news for the people who retire now. The final Social Security payment for March 2025 will be paid on March 26 to pensioners born between the 21st and 31st who started receiving benefits after May 1997.
Only certain seniors will get the March 2025 last Social Security payment on March 26, 2025. Beneficiaries must fulfill two requirements in order to be eligible for this payment date:
1. They must have started receiving Social Security benefits after May 1997.
2. Their birthday must fall between the 21st and 31st of any month.
Depending on their birthdate and benefits start date, retirees who do not match these requirements will get their payment on a different date.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) has implemented a 2.5% Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) for 2025, increasing monthly benefits to keep pace with inflation.
Average Benefits:
Retirement benefits rise from $1,976 to approximately $2,025 per month.
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) increases from $1,620 to about $1,660.
Maximum Benefits (based on retirement age):
| Age 70 | $5,108 |
| Full Retirement Age (67) | $4,018 |
| Early Retirement (62) | $2,831 |
Social Security Fairness Act & Retroactive Payments
The Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO) were abolished by the Social Security Fairness Act, which was signed in January 2025. More than 3.2 million beneficiaries whose pensions are not insured are impacted by this change.
Retroactive Payments:
Issued since February 2025, covering benefits withheld since December 2023.
Average retroactive payment:
Payments should arrive by late March, either with the March 26 Social Security payment or separately.
Higher Monthly Payments:
Beginning in April 2025, affected beneficiaries will receive increased benefits, but the March 26 payment will only reflect the COLA-adjusted amount.
How Much Will You Receive?
A COLA-adjusted benefit of about $2,025 will be included in your March 26 Social Security payment if you are a retiree who was born between the 21st and the 31st of any given month.
The Social Security Fairness Act permits one-time retroactive payments of an average of $6,710 to persons impacted by the WEP/GPO repeal. Although the precise date may change according on processing and deposit schedules, these payments are anticipated to be made by the end of March.