Social Security Administration to make payments tomorrow: Here’s who receives benefits on Friday, Jan. 30
Across the United States, over seven million beneficiaries are tomorrow due to receive a payment from the Social Security Administration (SSA), slightly ahead of the agency’s regular schedule.
Who gets a payment tomorrow, Jan. 30?
This Friday, Jan. 30, recipients of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) are to be issued their monthly benefits for February 2026.
Why is February 2026’s SSI being paid out early?
SSI payments are normally issued on the first day of each month. However, February begins on a Sunday, so next month’s money is to be distributed on the nearest working day before Feb. 1.
According to the SSA’s official distribution schedule, February’s benefits are the second of three straight SSI payments that are to be sent out at the end of the preceding month.
Who qualifies for SSI?
A program with just under 7.4 million beneficiaries in the U.S., according to the latest data shared by the SSA, SSI is aimed at low-income, low-resource individuals who are over-65 or have a disability.
Unlike Social Security schemes such as retirement benefits, survivor checks and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), eligibility for SSI does not depend on payment of Social Security taxes. It is a purely needs-based program.
To find out more about who qualifies for SSI benefits, take a look at this page on the SSA website.
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How much do SSI recipients get per month? Larger payments in 2026
As of December 2025 – the most recent figures published by the SSA – recipients of SSI got a monthly average of $714.53. Starting in January, however, program beneficiaries were to receive 2.8% increase in their monthly benefits.
This pay rise, which is also being applied to retirement, SSDI and survivor benefits, was revealed last fall, when the SSA announced its latest cost-of-living adjustment (COLA).
The maximum monthly amount available to an individual SSI claimant has increased from $967 per month to $994 per month. Eligible couples can claim a joint monthly payment of up to $1,491, up from $1,450.
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Extra state SSI payments
Some SSI recipients can get an additional monthly payment from their state. You can find out more about the states that offer this supplement by taking a look at this page on the SSA website.
When is Social Security issuing other February benefits?
Most recipients of retirement, SSDI and survivor pay will get next month’s benefits on the second, third or fourth Wednesday in February.
Their designated Wednesday depends on the date of birth of the worker whose employment record has accumulated the benefits entitlement.
- Born on 1st-10th of any month: Weds., Feb. 11
- Born on 11th-20th of any month: Weds., Feb. 18
- Born on 21st-31st of any month: Weds., Feb. 25
This three-Wednesdays cycle does not apply to beneficiaries who began receiving retirement, survivor or SSDI benefits before May 1997. These long-term recipients are to be paid on Tuesday, Feb. 3, regardless of their date of birth.
What if you receive both SSI and regular Social Security?
If you claim both SSI and any of the SSA’s retirement, SSDI or survivor benefits, you are to be paid the former on Friday, Jan. 30, followed by the latter on Tuesday, Feb. 3.
You can check out the SSA’s complete benefits-payment schedule for 2026 in this online calendar.
How does the Social Security Administration send out benefits?
The SSA says it is “in most cases” no longer issuing benefits in paper-check format. Instead, the agency provides two ways of picking up payments electronically:
- Direct deposit
Beneficiaries can get their money by direct deposit, by supplying the SSA with their bank details.
Recipients of retirement, SSDI and survivor pay can provide their bank-account information on the online “my Social Security” portal. This service is not available to SSI beneficiaries, however; the agency says they must call 1-800-772-1213.
- Direct Express Card
Recipients can also have their benefits loaded onto the Direct Express Card, a special debit card for federal payments made to people who do not have a bank account. You can sign up for the service by calling 1-800-333-1795 or going to the Direct Express website.
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