What to Do If Your SSDI or SSI Direct Deposit Is Late or Missing
- Purple
- 21 hours ago
- 3 min read
Waiting on a Social Security deposit that hasn’t shown up? You’re not alone. Whether it’s SSI or SSDI, a late or missing deposit can cause serious stress—especially if you rely on that money for rent, food, or bills.
In this guide, we’ll cover:
When to expect your SSI or SSDI deposit
Common reasons a deposit may be delayed
How to check your payment status
Who to contact (and when)
What Purple users can do if their payment is late
1. When Should You Expect Your Deposit?
Here’s the standard schedule:
SSI: Usually paid on the 1st of the month
SSDI: Paid on a staggered Wednesday schedule based on your birthday:
Birthdays 1–10: 2nd Wednesday
Birthdays 11–20: 3rd Wednesday
Birthdays 21–31: 4th Wednesday
If the payment date falls on a weekend or holiday, it’s typically sent the business day before.
2. Why Your Deposit Might Be Late
Here are a few common reasons for a delay:
The SSA hasn’t sent it yet: Sometimes deposits are held back due to system processing.
You recently changed banks or direct deposit info: This can delay your payment by a cycle or more.
Your account was closed or flagged: If your bank account is inactive, your payment may bounce.
SSA flagged an eligibility issue: If they’re reviewing your case, they might pause payment.
Holidays or weekends: These can move the timeline up or back, depending on the calendar.
3. How to Check the Status of Your Payment
You can check your deposit by:
Logging into your my Social Security account
Calling 1-800-772-1213 (Social Security’s main line)
Checking your bank or app notifications for pending deposits
Looking at your payment history if you use a platform like Purple
4. What to Do If It’s Missing
If it’s been more than 3 business days since your deposit was due and it still hasn’t shown up:
Call SSA immediately: 1-800-772-1213
Verify your account details: Make sure they have the correct routing and account number
Check your payment history on SSA.gov to confirm if it was issued
Follow up in writing if the issue isn’t resolved over the phone
Stay calm — in many cases, SSA will reissue a payment if one was missed or returned
5. What Purple Users Can Expect
If you’ve set up direct deposit with Purple, your funds may arrive up to 4 days early for SSI and up to 2 days early for SSDI¹.
But if something is late or missing:
You’ll receive a real-time notification when a deposit posts
Our team can help verify whether SSA sent the payment
We can check if the account is active and able to receive funds
You’ll always get human support—not just a phone tree
If SSA confirms the deposit was issued and it still hasn’t arrived, our support team can help track it down.
Need a direct deposit option that keeps you informed? Purple is built for you.
Purple is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services are provided by OMB Bank, Member FDIC. The Purple Mastercard® Debit Card is issued by OMB Bank, Member FDIC, pursuant to license from Mastercard.
¹ Early access is not guaranteed and depends on payer timing. We generally make funds available on the day we receive the payment file, which may be up to 4 days early for government benefits like SSI or SSDI, and up to 2 days early for other deposits. Early access is available at no additional cost.