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Your payment dates
Retirement, survivor and disability (SSDI) benefits use the same schedule.
Your 2026 payment day3rd Wednesdayborn on day 15
| Benefit for | Paid on |
|---|---|
| January | Wed, Jan 21 |
| February | Wed, Feb 18 |
| March | Wed, Mar 18 |
| April | Wed, Apr 15 |
| May | Wed, May 20 |
| June | Wed, Jun 17 |
| July | Wed, Jul 15 |
| August | Wed, Aug 19 |
| September | Wed, Sep 16 |
| October | Wed, Oct 21 |
| November | Wed, Nov 18 |
| December | Wed, Dec 16 |
Dates are when the SSA sends the money; banks usually post it that morning. If a payment day is a federal holiday or weekend it is paid on the business day before. Social Security benefits are paid the month after the month they are for (the December benefit is paid in January).
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2026 Social Security payment schedule
The dates below follow the SSA's published 2026 calendar[pay26]. When a payment day is a weekend or federal holiday, the SSA pays on the business day before: in 2026 that moves the second-Wednesday payment in November to Tuesday, November 10, because November 11 is Veterans Day.
| Benefit for | Born 1st–10th | Born 11th–20th | Born 21st–31st | Before May 1997 / with SSI | SSI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Wed, Jan 14 | Wed, Jan 21 | Wed, Jan 28 | Fri, Jan 2 | Wed, Dec 31 |
| February | Wed, Feb 11 | Wed, Feb 18 | Wed, Feb 25 | Tue, Feb 3 | Fri, Jan 30 |
| March | Wed, Mar 11 | Wed, Mar 18 | Wed, Mar 25 | Tue, Mar 3 | Fri, Feb 27 |
| April | Wed, Apr 8 | Wed, Apr 15 | Wed, Apr 22 | Fri, Apr 3 | Wed, Apr 1 |
| May | Wed, May 13 | Wed, May 20 | Wed, May 27 | Fri, May 1 | Fri, May 1 |
| June | Wed, Jun 10 | Wed, Jun 17 | Wed, Jun 24 | Wed, Jun 3 | Mon, Jun 1 |
| July | Wed, Jul 8 | Wed, Jul 15 | Wed, Jul 22 | Thu, Jul 2 | Wed, Jul 1 |
| August | Wed, Aug 12 | Wed, Aug 19 | Wed, Aug 26 | Mon, Aug 3 | Fri, Jul 31 |
| September | Wed, Sep 9 | Wed, Sep 16 | Wed, Sep 23 | Thu, Sep 3 | Tue, Sep 1 |
| October | Wed, Oct 14 | Wed, Oct 21 | Wed, Oct 28 | Fri, Oct 2 | Thu, Oct 1 |
| November | Tue, Nov 10 | Wed, Nov 18 | Wed, Nov 25 | Tue, Nov 3 | Fri, Oct 30 |
| December | Wed, Dec 9 | Wed, Dec 16 | Wed, Dec 23 | Thu, Dec 3 | Tue, Dec 1 |
SSI for January 2026 was paid on Wednesday, December 31, 2025, because January 1 is a holiday. SSI for February, March and August 2026 also arrives at the end of the previous month (Jan 30, Feb 27 and Jul 31), so some months have two SSI payments and others none.
2027 payment schedule
The SSA has published the 2027 calendar, and the 3.6% COLA starts with these payments[pay27][cola27]. The January 2027 payments for SSI and for people paid on the 3rd both arrive on Thursday, December 31, 2026.
| Benefit for | Born 1st–10th | Born 11th–20th | Born 21st–31st | Before May 1997 / with SSI | SSI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Wed, Jan 13 | Wed, Jan 20 | Wed, Jan 27 | Thu, Dec 31 | Thu, Dec 31 |
| February | Wed, Feb 10 | Wed, Feb 17 | Wed, Feb 24 | Wed, Feb 3 | Mon, Feb 1 |
| March | Wed, Mar 10 | Wed, Mar 17 | Wed, Mar 24 | Wed, Mar 3 | Mon, Mar 1 |
| April | Wed, Apr 14 | Wed, Apr 21 | Wed, Apr 28 | Fri, Apr 2 | Thu, Apr 1 |
| May | Wed, May 12 | Wed, May 19 | Wed, May 26 | Mon, May 3 | Fri, Apr 30 |
| June | Wed, Jun 9 | Wed, Jun 16 | Wed, Jun 23 | Thu, Jun 3 | Tue, Jun 1 |
| July | Wed, Jul 14 | Wed, Jul 21 | Wed, Jul 28 | Fri, Jul 2 | Thu, Jul 1 |
| August | Wed, Aug 11 | Wed, Aug 18 | Wed, Aug 25 | Tue, Aug 3 | Fri, Jul 30 |
| September | Wed, Sep 8 | Wed, Sep 15 | Wed, Sep 22 | Fri, Sep 3 | Wed, Sep 1 |
| October | Wed, Oct 13 | Wed, Oct 20 | Wed, Oct 27 | Fri, Oct 1 | Fri, Oct 1 |
| November | Wed, Nov 10 | Wed, Nov 17 | Wed, Nov 24 | Wed, Nov 3 | Mon, Nov 1 |
| December | Wed, Dec 8 | Wed, Dec 15 | Wed, Dec 22 | Fri, Dec 3 | Wed, Dec 1 |
Disability (SSDI) and survivor payment schedule
SSDI follows exactly the same Wednesday schedule as retirement benefits: there is no separate disability calendar. The birthday that counts is the one of the person whose record the benefit is paid on, so a spouse or child receiving benefits on a worker's record is paid on the worker's Wednesday. SSI (Supplemental Security Income) is a separate program paid on the 1st; see the SSI amount page, and the SSDI calculator for benefit amounts.
Worked example: April 2026
April 1, 2026 is a Wednesday, so the April Wednesdays are the 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd and 29th. The second Wednesday is April 8 (birthdays 1st–10th), the third is April 15 and the fourth is April 22. SSI for April is paid on April 1 and the "3rd of the month" payment on Friday, April 3.
Why a payment can look late or early
- Payments are for the previous month. Social Security is paid in arrears: the payment you get in January is your December benefit. SSI is paid for the current month.
- Holidays move dates earlier, never later. In 2026 the Wednesday payments moved only once (Nov 10).
- Allow three mail days. The SSA asks people to wait three business days before reporting a missing payment.
Common mistakes about payment dates
- Using your own birthday on someone else's record. Spousal, survivor and child benefits follow the worker's birthday.
- Expecting the COLA on the December payment. The 3.6% increase first shows up on the payment made in January 2027 (December 31, 2026 for SSI). See the 2027 COLA.
- Counting the 1st as the first week. "Second Wednesday" means the second Wednesday of the calendar month, not the Wednesday of the second week.
Federal holidays usedNew Year’s Day (Jan 1), Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Jan 19), Washington’s Birthday (Feb 16), Memorial Day (May 25), Juneteenth (Jun 19), Independence Day (Jul 3), Labor Day (Sep 7), Columbus Day (Oct 12), Veterans Day (Nov 11), Thanksgiving Day (Nov 26), Christmas Day (Dec 25). A holiday only matters if it falls on a payment day.
Frequently asked questions
What day will I get my Social Security check in 2026?
On the second Wednesday of the month if you were born on the 1st–10th, the third Wednesday for the 11th–20th, and the fourth Wednesday for the 21st–31st. If your benefits started before May 1997, or you also get SSI, you are paid on the 3rd.
Is the Social Security disability payment schedule different?
No. SSDI is paid on the same Wednesday schedule based on the beneficiary's birthday (or the 3rd for some older cases). Only SSI, a separate needs-based program, is paid on the 1st.
When will Social Security pay in April 2026?
April 8, 15 and 22 for the three birthday groups, April 3 for people paid on the 3rd, and April 1 for SSI.
Why did I get two SSI payments in one month?
When the 1st of a month falls on a weekend or holiday, SSI is paid on the last business day of the month before. In 2026, the February, March and August SSI payments arrive at the end of January, February and July.