Social Security checks go out this week. Who will get paid?

The first round of Social Security payments for September will go out this week as the official Cost-of-Living Adjustment for 2027 looms.

For retirees, survivors or those with disabilities who are a part of the federal program, the first wave of Social Security payments will take place Wednesday, Sept. 9.

The Cost-of-Living Adjustment change will be announced in just over a month, on Wednesday, Oct 14. The change will impact Social Security and Supplemental Security Income payments in 2027 to go into effect in January 2027.

Ahead of the official change, the nonpartisan senior advocacy group, The Senior Citizens League has released monthly predictions. According to their latest prediction, there could be a 3.6% COLA increase which would boost monthly checks by nearly $70.

“While that is modestly below estimates made in the preceding months, it would still be 0.8 percentage points higher than the 2026 COLA and it would represent the largest percent increase in benefits since 2023,” the financial publication, The Motely Fool said on Sept. 7.

The Senior Citizens League will release another COLA prediction, likely around the second week of September for a more accurate prediction.

Social Security is paid through the Social Security Administration to benefit retired workers, those with disabilities or for survivors. The SSA also oversees the SSI program to provide benefits for those with limited or no income or resources, those aged 65 or older and those with a qualifying disability.

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Here’s when to expect your Social Security payments in September 2026:

Who will get their Social Security checks this week?

Here are the Social Security payment dates for September, per the SSA:

• Wednesday, Sept. 9, for beneficiaries with birth dates between Sept. 1-10.

• Wednesday. Sept. 16, for beneficiaries with birth dates between Sept. 11-20.

• Wednesday, Sept. 23, for beneficiaries with birth dates between Sept. 21-31.

What is COLA? What is the current 2027 COLA prediction?

The Cost-of-Living Adjustment is an annual change to Social Security and Supplemental Security Income payments to keep up with inflation, so recipients are given a proportionate check to sustain their buying power of everyday items like gas, food, clothing and more.

On Aug. 12, the 2027 COLA forecast was projected to be a 3.6% increase, according to The Senior Citizens League. If that goes into effect, the average Social Security check for retired workers would increase by $69.75, from $1,937.53 to $2,007.28.

In July, The Senior Citizens League announced the COLA forecast at 3.8%.

The TSCL releases a COLA prediction each month based on the Consumer Price Index, Federal Reserve interest rate and the National Unemployment rate from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

How is the COLA calculated?

The COLA is calculated with a formula, per the Social Security Act. The adjustment is based on the Consumer Price Index for urban wage earners and clerical workers (CPI-W) calculated monthly by the U.S. Bureau Labor of Statistics — CPI-W is the average change over time in the prices paid by urban wage earners and clerical workers for a market basket of consumer goods and services, per the U.S. BLS.

What was the COLA for 2026?

At the beginning of 2026 recipients received a 2.8% COLA for Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments, according to the SSA’s COLA Fact Sheet and American Association of Retired Persons, increasing payments about $56 per month.

Full 2026 Social Security payment schedule

— USA TODAY contributed.

Contact Sarah Moore @ smoore@lsj.com

This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Social Security checks go out this week. Who will get paid?

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