Although there are a lot of people who receive Social Security, not everyone knows how their payments are calculated, when they will arrive or how they will change over time. For the month of May, benefits will be arriving later than usual for most Social Security recipients due to how the calendar is structured for 2026.

Some Social Security recipients could receive retroactive benefit payments they are owed under a recently passed law. A group of senators recently sent a letter to the Social Security Administration requesting that it reviews agency policy and grants maximum retroactive payments to all protected spouses under the Social Security Fairness Act.

May Social Security payment schedule: Here’s when your money will arrive More than 75 million Americans received payments from the Social Security Administration last month. Of those, the vast majority – 58 million – were ages 65 and older.

Survey data and federal records give strikingly different answers about how many people live on Social Security alone in retirement. Here's what the best figures show.

Report from Elizabeth Warren calls Trump administration cuts to Social Security Administration ‘catastrophic’

Navigating finances after a divorce is tough. Learn the surprising rules about how your ex-spouse might be eligible to claim Social Security benefits based on your record.