Social Security Payment Schedule for 2026

2026 Calendar Month Of months On A Colored Bases On A Transparent Background.

Understanding when your Social Security benefits will arrive each month is essential for budgeting and financial planning. The Social Security Administration (SSA) operates on a fixed calendar, but certain holidays can shift payment dates.

This year, beneficiaries will also see their checks reflect the 2026 2.8% Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA), matching the estimate provided by David Payne, staff economist for the Kiplinger Letter. According to the Social Security Administration (SSA), the 2.8% increase will translate to an additional $56 for the average retiree, resulting in an average monthly check of $2,071.

Here, we break down the full 2026 Social Security payment schedule, clarifying the key dates based on your birthday and benefit type. Read on to find out exactly when to expect your payments throughout the year, and learn about the important exceptions and rules that apply to your benefits.

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The general rule for Social Security payments is that the date you receive your benefit check is primarily determined by your birth date and the type of benefit you receive.

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments always arrive on the first of the month or the preceding business day if the first is a weekend or holiday.

For most other Social Security retirement, survivor and disability beneficiaries who began receiving payments after May 1997, checks are distributed on the second, third or fourth Wednesday of the month, corresponding to your birth date. However, those who started receiving benefits before May 1997, or who receive both Social Security and SSI, will receive their Social Security benefit on the third of the month.

A crucial exception for all schedules is that if a payment date falls on a Saturday, Sunday or federal holiday, the payment is issued on the immediately preceding weekday to ensure timely access to funds.

Here are all the confirmed payment dates for retirees based on the Social Security payment schedule for 2026. Just find the day of the month you were born on the left side of the table. Then, look under each month for the specific payment date.

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Month/Birth date	1st – 10th	11th – 20th	21st – 31st
January	Wednesday, 14th	Wednesday, 21st	Wednesday, 28th
February	Wednesday, 11th	Wednesday, 18th	Wednesday, 25th
March	Wednesday, 11th	Wednesday, 18th	Wednesday, 25th
April	Wednesday, 8th	Wednesday, 15th	Wednesday, 22nd
May	Wednesday, 13th	Wednesday, 20th	Wednesday, 27th
June	Wednesday, 10th	Wednesday, 17th	Wednesday, 24th
July	Wednesday, 8th	Wednesday, 15th	Wednesday, 22nd
August	Wednesday, 12th	Wednesday, 19th	Wednesday, 26th
September	Wednesday, 9th	Wednesday, 16th	Wednesday, 23rd
October	Wednesday, 14th	Wednesday, 21th	Wednesday, 28th
November	Tuesday, 10th	Wednesday, 18th	Wednesday, 25th
December	Wednesday, 9th	Wednesday, 16th	Wednesday, 23rd

In December 2025, the average Social Security monthly check for retirement workers was $2,071.30, according to the Social Security Administration's Monthly Snapshot (SSA). If you are interested in knowing more about SS benefit payments and how your check measures up to peers, take a look at what the average Social Security check is by age.

You should definitely have a "my Social Security" account, which is the online account managed by the administration. The account can help you manage tasks such as requesting a replacement Social Security card, receiving updates about the COLA, updating your direct deposit information, and getting your Social Security 1099 form.

And, if you are concerned about mail theft or travel often, you can opt out of mailed notices for those available online.

Donna joined Kiplinger as a personal finance writer in 2023. She spent more than a decade as the contributing editor of J.K.Lasser's Your Income Tax Guide and edited state specific legal treatises at ALM Media. She has shared her expertise as a guest on Bloomberg, CNN, Fox, NPR, CNBC and many other media outlets around the nation. She is a graduate of Brooklyn Law School and the University at Buffalo.