Starting Sept. 30, 2025, the Social Security Administration will stop issuing paper checks for benefit payments.

The earliest you can claim is 62, but doing so will reduce your monthly benefit by 30% from your primary insurance amount, which is the amount you'd receive by claiming benefits at your full retirement age (FRA). Delaying benefits past your FRA increases them monthly until you reach age 70. For people born in 1960 or later, the FRA is 67.

The Social Security Administration will send your September 2025 check on a specific day of the month depending on your date of birth, according to this calendar.