Social Security Schedule for 2026: When Checked, SSI Comes
Millions of Americans rely on Social Security to pay their bills every month. But for many families, knowing when the money will arrive in your account is just as important as knowing how much it will be.
By 2026, about 75 million people will receive some form of Social Security payment, including retirees, disabled workers and survivors of deceased workers (not just Americans 62 and older).
The Social Security Administration estimates that the average monthly paycheck for retired workers will rise from $2,015 to about $2,071 in January because of a cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, designed to help paychecks keep up with inflation. The 2026 COLA of 2.8% applies to benefits beginning in January — though some recipients will see an increase at the end of December because of the way payments are scheduled around state holidays.
When your payments arrive in 2026 depends on things like your birthday and the type of benefit you receive. Here’s a full breakdown of the annual Social Security payment schedule.
How Social Security arranges payments
For most Social Security recipients, the date you were born determines the week your check is issued each month. Social Security Administration groups receive three birthdays and usually pay benefits on Wednesdays.
If you were born between the first and the 10th of the month, your payment usually arrives on the second Wednesday of the month. Those born between 11 and 20 are paid on the third Wednesday. And recipients with birthdays between the 21st and 31st receive their benefits on the fourth Wednesday.
There are a few exceptions. Beneficiaries who began receiving Social Security before May 1997 – and those who receive both Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) – generally receive their Social Security payment on the third day of the month, regardless of their date of birth.
The SSI payments themselves are usually sent initially. But if that day falls on a weekend or state holiday, SSA issues the payment the previous business day.
Social security payment schedule for 2026
Here are all the scheduled pay dates for 2026, based on the SSA’s official calendar:
- January: Jan. 14 (for those born on the first day to the 10th), Jan. 21 (born 11th-20th), Jan. 28 (born on the 21st-31st)
- February: Feb. 11, Feb. 18, Feb. 25
- March: March 11, March 18, March 25
- April: April 8, April 15, April 22
- May: May 13, May 20, May 27
- June: June 10, June 17, June 24
- July: July 8, July 15, July 22
- August: Aug. 12, Aug. 19, Aug. 26
- September: September 9, September 16, September 23
- October: October 14, October 21, October 28
- November: *Nov. 10, Nov. 18, Nov. 25
- December: Dec. 9, Dec. 16, Dec. 23
*Payment date changes if the scheduled Wednesday is a public holiday. In November 2026, for example, payments scheduled for Veterans Day are issued on the previous day.
If you’re not sure which pay group you’re in – or want to confirm your exact pay date – you can check in your “My Social Security” account on SSA.gov.
SSI payment schedule 2026
SSI payments are usually sent on the first day of each month. However, when the first falls on a weekend or a corporate holiday, payments are issued early. This doesn’t mean you get extra pay — just an adjusted schedule.
Here is the SSI payment schedule for 2026:
- December 31st
- Jan. 30
- February 27
- April 1
- May 1
- June 1
- July 1
- July 31st
- September 1
- October 1
- October 30
- December 1
More from Mali:
2026 Social Security COLA: Here’s How Much Payments Will Increase Next Year
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