After sweating it out because of a debt ceiling showdown in Washington, the U.S. Social Security office will send August payments on time.

Michael Astrue, Commissioner of the U.S. Social Security Administration, announced Tuesday that Social Security payments for Aug. 3 will be made on time and as scheduled. Payments for Aug. 10, 17, and 24 also will be made as scheduled, according to Astrue.

“I am happy to announce there will be no delay in the payment of August Social Security benefits, which should be a relief to those people who were concerned about their benefits,” Astrue said. “I’m pleased the President and Congress were able to come together in a bipartisan fashion to avoid an interruption in payments.”

Debbie Brownrigg, district manager of the Social Security office in Austin, said the office has received a lot of calls and people have been concerned about getting Social Security payments on time. She referred all other questions to Jim Czechowicz, a public affairs specialist at the Social Security office in St. Paul. Czechowicz did not return phone calls Wednesday morning.

People still receiving paper checks from Social Security should consider signing up for Direct Deposit, the secure and convenient way to receive Social Security payments, according to Astrue. All current beneficiaries must switch to electronic payments by March 1, 2013.