The Social Security monthly payment schedule assigns your payment date by birth date: if you were born on the 1st through the 10th, you’re paid the second Wednesday of the month; the 11th through the 20th, the third Wednesday; the 21st through the 31st, the fourth Wednesday.1Social Security Administration. Schedule of Social Security Benefit Payments 2026 That rotation holds every month of the year. A few groups follow a different rule and are paid on the 3rd instead, covered further down.
Your Wednesday, Every Month
The three-group split applies to retired workers, disabled workers on SSDI, and most family members drawing on a worker’s record. Your Wednesday doesn’t shift from month to month. If you’re a third-Wednesday person in January, you’re a third-Wednesday person in December.
- Born 1st–10th: second Wednesday.
- Born 11th–20th: third Wednesday.
- Born 21st–31st: fourth Wednesday.
2026 Payment Dates
Within each month below, the dates are listed in order for birth dates 1st–10th, 11th–20th, and 21st–31st.1Social Security Administration. Schedule of Social Security Benefit Payments 2026
- January: Jan 14, Jan 21, Jan 28
- February: Feb 11, Feb 18, Feb 25
- March: Mar 11, Mar 18, Mar 25
- April: Apr 8, Apr 15, Apr 22
- May: May 13, May 20, May 27
- June: Jun 10, Jun 17, Jun 24
- July: Jul 8, Jul 15, Jul 22
- August: Aug 12, Aug 19, Aug 26
- September: Sep 9, Sep 16, Sep 23
- October: Oct 14, Oct 21, Oct 28
- November: Nov 12, Nov 18, Nov 25
- December: Dec 9, Dec 16, Dec 23
When Someone Else’s Birthday Sets Your Date
If you receive benefits on a spouse’s or deceased worker’s record, the payment date follows the worker’s birthday, not yours.2Social Security Administration. What You Need to Know When You Get Retirement or Survivors Benefits A surviving spouse born March 2 whose late partner was born November 25 is paid on the fourth Wednesday, not the second. The same rule applies to spousal benefits while the worker is still alive. This surprises people whose own birthdays fall early in the month.
Who Is Paid on the 3rd Instead
Three groups skip the Wednesday rotation and receive their Social Security payment on the 3rd of every month:3Social Security Administration. Cyclical Payment of Social Security Benefits
- Anyone who started receiving Social Security before May 1997. Before that date, every beneficiary was paid on the 3rd, and the SSA left long-term recipients on the old cycle rather than reassigning them.
- People who qualify for both Social Security and Supplemental Security Income. Their Social Security check comes on the 3rd; the SSI payment arrives separately on the 1st.
- Beneficiaries who live in a foreign country, regardless of when they filed.
SSI-only recipients who don’t also collect Social Security follow a separate schedule with payments on the 1st of each month.4Social Security Administration. Paying Monthly Benefits
Holiday and Weekend Shifts in 2026
When your scheduled date falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or federal holiday, federal law requires the SSA to pay you on the preceding business day.5Social Security Administration. 42 USC 909 – Delivery of Benefit Checks You’re always paid early, never late. A few 2026 shifts to note:
- New Year’s Day falls on a Thursday. SSI recipients normally paid on the 1st receive their January payment on December 31, 2025.6Social Security Administration. Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) Information
- Independence Day falls on a Saturday and is observed Friday, July 3. Beneficiaries paid on the 3rd receive their July payment on Thursday, July 2.
- Veterans Day falls on Wednesday, November 11, which is the second Wednesday of November. Beneficiaries with birth dates 1st–10th should expect payment on Tuesday, November 10.7Social Security Administration. When Will I Get My Benefits if the Payment Date Falls on a Weekend or Holiday
The Wednesday rotation rarely collides with holidays, since most federal holidays land on Mondays or Thursdays. The 3rd-of-the-month group faces more shifts because the 3rd can fall on any weekday.
If Your Payment Doesn’t Arrive
Start with your bank or credit union. Processing delays on the bank’s side are more common than actual SSA errors, and a call can confirm whether the deposit is pending.8Social Security Administration. How Do I Report a Missing Payment
If the bank has no record, the SSA asks you to wait three additional mailing days past your scheduled date before contacting the agency.1Social Security Administration. Schedule of Social Security Benefit Payments 2026 After that, call 1-800-772-1213, staffed 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. local time, Monday through Friday.9Social Security Administration. Contact Social Security by Phone A local field office can also handle the report in person. Recent banking changes are a frequent cause of missed deposits, so mention any account updates when you call.
You can confirm your exact payment date and past deposits through your my Social Security account at ssa.gov, which shows both upcoming payment dates and the amount deposited each month.10Social Security Administration. View Benefit Payment Schedule