Social Security payment schedule
Your payment day depends on your birthday. Born on the 1st–10th: the second Wednesday. The 11th–20th: the third Wednesday. The 21st–31st: the fourth Wednesday. People who started benefits before May 1997, or who also get SSI, are paid on the 3rd.
Your next payment
2026 schedule
| Benefits for | Birthday 1st–10th | 11th–20th | 21st–31st | Before May 1997 or with SSI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 2026 | Jan 14 | Jan 21 | Jan 28 | Jan 2* |
| February 2026 | Feb 11 | Feb 18 | Feb 25 | Feb 3 |
| March 2026 | Mar 11 | Mar 18 | Mar 25 | Mar 3 |
| April 2026 | Apr 8 | Apr 15 | Apr 22 | Apr 3 |
| May 2026 | May 13 | May 20 | May 27 | May 1* |
| June 2026 | Jun 10 | Jun 17 | Jun 24 | Jun 3 |
| July 2026 | Jul 8 | Jul 15 | Jul 22 | Jul 2* |
| August 2026 | Aug 12 | Aug 19 | Aug 26 | Aug 3 |
| September 2026 | Sep 9 | Sep 16 | Sep 23 | Sep 3 |
| October 2026 | Oct 14 | Oct 21 | Oct 28 | Oct 2* |
| November 2026 | Nov 10* | Nov 18 | Nov 25 | Nov 3 |
| December 2026 | Dec 9 | Dec 16 | Dec 23 | Dec 3 |
2027 schedule
| Benefits for | Birthday 1st–10th | 11th–20th | 21st–31st | Before May 1997 or with SSI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 2027 | Jan 13 | Jan 20 | Jan 27 | Dec 31* |
| February 2027 | Feb 10 | Feb 17 | Feb 24 | Feb 3 |
| March 2027 | Mar 10 | Mar 17 | Mar 24 | Mar 3 |
| April 2027 | Apr 14 | Apr 21 | Apr 28 | Apr 2* |
| May 2027 | May 12 | May 19 | May 26 | May 3 |
| June 2027 | Jun 9 | Jun 16 | Jun 23 | Jun 3 |
| July 2027 | Jul 14 | Jul 21 | Jul 28 | Jul 2* |
| August 2027 | Aug 11 | Aug 18 | Aug 25 | Aug 3 |
| September 2027 | Sep 8 | Sep 15 | Sep 22 | Sep 3 |
| October 2027 | Oct 13 | Oct 20 | Oct 27 | Oct 1* |
| November 2027 | Nov 10 | Nov 17 | Nov 24 | Nov 3 |
| December 2027 | Dec 8 | Dec 15 | Dec 22 | Dec 3 |
* Moved earlier because the usual day is a weekend or federal holiday. Payments are for the month before: the January payment is December's benefit.
How the dates are set
Social Security retirement, survivors and disability benefits are paid once a month, for the previous month (for example, December 2025 benefits were paid in January 2026). The payment day is set by the birth date of the insured worker whose record the benefits are paid on: born on the 1st-10th = second Wednesday; 11th-20th = third Wednesday; 21st-31st = fourth Wednesday. Everyone paid on the same worker's record (spouse, children, etc.) gets the same payment day, and once assigned the day does not change. If the scheduled day falls on a Saturday, Sunday or federal legal holiday, payment is made on the first preceding day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or federal legal holiday (e.g. in November 2026 the second-Wednesday payment moves to Tuesday, November 10, because November 11 is Veterans Day). SSA advises allowing three additional mailing days before contacting it about a payment that has not arrived.
Paid on the 3rd of every month instead of a Wednesday if: anyone became entitled on the worker's record based on an application filed before May 1, 1997 (then everyone on that record is paid on the 3rd); or, for applications filed after April 30, 1997, you also receive SSI (or have income deemed to an SSI recipient), you live in a foreign country, or your state pays your Medicare premiums. If the 3rd falls on a Saturday, Sunday or federal legal holiday, payment is made on the first preceding day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or federal legal holiday (e.g. Saturday, October 3, 2026 -> Friday, October 2; the January 2027 payment is made Thursday, December 31, 2026, because January 1-3, 2027 are a holiday and a weekend). People who get both Social Security and SSI receive SSI on the 1st and Social Security on the 3rd.
Dates read from SSA's color-coded calendars in Publication No. 05-10031 (2026 and 2027 editions, both dated January 2026) and cross-checked against the 20 CFR 404.1807 rule plus OPM's holiday table: all 96 dates match. 'third' = the 3rd-of-month group (before May 1997 / also on SSI / living abroad / state-paid Medicare premium); 'w2'/'w3'/'w4' = second/third/fourth-Wednesday birthday groups. The January 2027 'third' payment is made on 2026-12-31 (shown on the 2026 calendar). Notable shifts: 2026-01 third paid Fri Jan 2 (Jan 3 is a Saturday); 2026-05 third paid Fri May 1 (May 3 is a Sunday); 2026-07 third paid Thu Jul 2 (Jul 3 is the observed Independence Day); 2026-10 third paid Fri Oct 2; 2026-11 w2 paid Tue Nov 10 (Veterans Day); 2027-04 third paid Fri Apr 2; 2027-07 third paid Fri Jul 2; 2027-10 third paid Fri Oct 1.