Social Security Schedule for 2026: When Checks, SSI Arrive

Millions of Americans rely on Social Security to pay their bills each month. Knowing when the money will hit your account is just as crucial as knowing how much it will be.

By 2026, around 75 million individuals will receive some form of Social Security payment, including retirees, disabled workers, and survivors of deceased workers. The Social Security Administration projects that the average monthly payment for retired workers will increase from $2,015 to approximately $2,071 in January, thanks to the 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) to keep pace with inflation.

The payment schedule for Social Security in 2026 is determined by various factors such as birthdate and benefit type. Here’s a breakdown of the payment schedule for the year:

How Social Security Schedules Payments

For most recipients, the day of birth determines the week the check is issued every month. Recipients are grouped into three tiers based on birthdate and payments are generally made on Wednesdays.

If born between the 1st and 10th, the payment arrives on the second Wednesday. For those born between the 11th and 20th, it’s the third Wednesday, and for birthdays between the 21st and 31st, it’s the fourth Wednesday. There are exceptions for those who started receiving benefits before May 1997 or receive both Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI).

2026 Social Security Payment Schedule

Here are the Social Security payment dates for 2026:

• January: Jan. 14, Jan. 21, Jan. 28
• 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: Sept. 9, Sept. 16, Sept. 23
• October: Oct. 14, Oct. 21, Oct. 28
• November: *Nov. 10, Nov. 18, Nov. 25
• December: Dec. 9, Dec. 16, Dec. 23

If uncertain about your payment group or want to confirm your exact payment date, you can check through your “My Social Security” account on SSA.gov.

2026 SSI Payment Schedule

SSI payments are typically sent on the first of each month, adjusted for weekends and holidays. Here’s the SSI payment schedule for 2026:

• Dec. 31
• Jan. 30
• Feb. 27
• April 1
• May 1
• June 1
• July 1
• July 31
• Sept. 1
• Oct. 1
• Oct. 30
• Dec. 1

More from Money:

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