The Social Security Administration (SSA) will distribute Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments on Tuesday, July 1st, 2025. Since July 1st falls on a weekday, payments will be issued as per the usual schedule.
Unlike June 2025, where payments were made early due to the first day of the month falling on a Sunday, this situation doesn’t apply in July.
How Can You Receive Your SSI Payments?
SSI recipients can access their payments using their preferred method: either direct deposit into a bank account or the Direct Express prepaid debit card. The funds will be available to you on the first business day of the month, which in July 2025 is Tuesday, July 1st.
What Are the SSI Payment Amounts for 2025?
For 2025, the maximum monthly payment for an individual receiving SSI is $967. If you are a couple receiving SSI together, you can get up to $1,450 per month, which is split evenly between the two of you.
Additionally, there is an extra payment of $484 per month for an “essential person”. This is someone who lives with an SSI recipient and provides regular, necessary care. These amounts include a 2.5% cost-of-living increase (COLA) that was applied at the start of 2025.
Who Can Receive SSI Payments?
To qualify for SSI benefits, you must meet at least one of these conditions:
Age 65 or older
Legally blind
Have a disability that prevents you from working and earning enough money.
You must also meet the income limits set by the SSA. For an individual, the monthly limit is $967. For couples, the limit is $1,450. If your income exceeds these amounts, your SSI payments will be reduced.
The SSA also has specific rules about income deductions. For example, for every $2 you earn above $85, $1 is deducted from your SSI payment.
SSI applicants must also follow the asset limits. An individual cannot have more than $2,000 in assets, and a couple cannot have more than $3,000. The SSA considers assets such as bank accounts, stocks, bonds, and any property other than your primary home or vehicle.
You must also be a U.S. citizen or national or have qualifying immigration status. Additionally, you need to live in one of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, or the Northern Mariana Islands. You cannot live outside the U.S. for more than 30 consecutive days, or you will lose your benefits.
Important Update: SSI Payments and Paper Checks
Starting in September 2025, the SSA will stop sending paper checks. All SSI beneficiaries will need to switch to digital payments, either through direct deposit to a bank account or the Direct Express prepaid card.
This change, announced in March 2025, aims to save the government about $657 million per year. It will affect approximately 485,000 to 494,000 beneficiaries, especially older adults who don’t have a bank account or live in rural areas.
To avoid payment delays or disruptions, the SSA recommends that you open a bank account or apply for a Direct Express card as soon as possible. Very few exceptions will be allowed, so it’s important to act quickly.
If you don’t switch to a digital payment method by September 2025, you may face delays or lose your payments temporarily.
What Should You Do Now?
If you’re still receiving paper checks, contact your local SSA office right away to set up your digital payment method. Switching early will help ensure that your benefits arrive on time and without problems.
SSI payments for July 2025 will be issued on Tuesday, July 1st. If you receive SSI, be sure you are prepared for the upcoming changes in September 2025 when paper checks will no longer be issued.
Switch to direct deposit or a Direct Express card to ensure your payments continue smoothly. Make sure to contact your SSA office and set up your digital payment option before it’s too late.
