Yes, the Social Security Administration (SSA) is moving away from paper checks, with a mandate that almost all federal benefit payments transition to electronic methods by September 30, 2025. Beneficiaries must switch to direct deposit or a prepaid card (such as the Direct Express® card) to avoid delays or loss of payments.
As of Sept. 30, 2025, the government has mandated that all federal benefit payments, including Social Security, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits transition exclusively to electronic methods. Paper checks have been phased out for nearly all federal payments.
Physical Social Security Checks are Being Discontinued. Here Are Your Other Options. Jordyn joined Investopedia in February 2025.
Beginning January 2025, there's a 2.5% COLA increase for Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits, which affects about 72.5 million people. Though the exact amount of the Cost-of-living Allowance can vary, there typically is one.
The extra $144 added to Social Security usually comes from the Medicare Part B Giveback benefit, offered by some Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans, which pays back some or all your Part B premium, showing up as extra money in your check if it's deducted from your Social Security. To qualify, you need Original Medicare (Parts A & B), pay your own Part B premium, live in a plan's service area, and enroll in a specific Medicare Advantage plan that offers this "rebate," with the amount varying by plan and location.
All Social Security beneficiaries – retired workers, workers with disabilities, eligible family members, and survivors – may be eligible for the stimulus payment.
Qualification for the $1,400 stimulus check (the third Economic Impact Payment) in 2021 depended on your 2021 Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) and filing status, with full amounts for single filers earning up to $75,000 (phasing out at $80,000) and joint filers up to $150,000 (phasing out at $160,000), plus $1,400 per dependent; you needed a valid Social Security Number and had to claim it as the Recovery Rebate Credit on your 2021 tax return if you missed the payment, with deadlines typically in April 2025.
The 2.8 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) will begin with benefits payable to nearly 71 million Social Security beneficiaries in January 2026. Increased payments to nearly 7.5 million SSI recipients will begin on December 31, 2025. (Note: Some people receive both Social Security and SSI benefits.)
The dollar amount increase to checks will vary depending on a person's benefit amount, but the average Social Security Retirement benefit, $2,008.31 in July 2025, will grow by about $56.
Yes, a bill to eliminate the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) has already become law: the Social Security Fairness Act of 2023 (H.R. 82), signed by President Biden on January 5, 2025, repeals both WEP and the Government Pension Offset (GPO), eliminating reductions to Social Security benefits for public servants with non-covered pensions. The Act applies to benefits payable after December 2023, with the Social Security Administration currently implementing the changes and processing retroactive payments for affected individuals.
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury announced that the federal government will stop issuing paper checks for most federal payments on September 30, 2025. If you are one of the few people who still receives a federal benefit check, it's time to switch to an electronic payment method.
We want you to know that during the federal government shutdown, payments to all people who currently receive Social Security benefits and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) will continue with no change in payment dates. You will still receive your payments on time.
The Social Security Administration announced in October that beneficiaries will see a 2.8% increase in their monthly payments, known as the cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA. Individuals receiving Social Security benefits will notice the increase starting in January 2026.
However, the payment amounts may vary, according to the IRS. The full credit amount is available to individual taxpayers with up to $75,000 in adjusted gross income and to married couples who file jointly with up to $150,000 for 2021.
Stimulus payments
Visit the IRS Get My Payment (GMP) portal at https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/get-my-payment to see if you can expect a 2021 Economic Impact Payment. The GMP portal will provide the date when your payment was or will be sent.
Yes, Social Security recipients received a Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) for 2025, but the bigger news is that they are getting a larger 2.8% COLA for 2026, announced in October 2025, which began with January 2026 payments, increasing average benefits by about $56 per month. The 2025 COLA was a smaller 2.5% increase, while the 2026 adjustment reflects moderating inflation, leading to higher payments starting in the new year.
There has been some misinformation spread online about an alleged "fourth stimulus check" being sent to older Americans or people with disabilities. There will be no fourth stimulus check going out to anyone.
Millions of Social Security recipients automatically received COVID-19 stimulus payments through the IRS using SSA and RRB data. Payments included up to $1,200 per individual in round one, $600 in round two, and $1,400 in round three, with extra amounts for dependents.
If Social Security isn't enough, you should supplement your income through other savings (401k, IRAs, brokerage accounts), explore government aid like SSI, SNAP, and Medicaid, consider working part-time, use programs like NCOA's BenefitsCheckUp to find assistance, potentially delay claiming benefits for a higher monthly payout, or look into annuities for guaranteed income.
Nearly 71 million Social Security beneficiaries will see a 2.8 percent COLA beginning in January 2026. Increased payments to nearly 7.5 million people receiving SSI will begin on December 31, 2025. (Note: Some people receive both Social Security benefits and SSI).