Social Security is sending out benefits on Wednesday, January 21: here’s who gets paid

Millions of Social Security recipients in the U.S. are tomorrow set to get their first benefits of the new year, in the latest payment run on the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) schedule for January 2026.

Who gets a Social Security payment on Wednesday, Jan. 21?

Payments are to be sent out to certain recipients of retirement benefits, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and survivor pay.

Of the 70.5 million Americans who receive one of these benefits, most are paid on the second, third or fourth Wednesday in each month. A recipient’s designated Wednesday is determined by the date of birth of the worker whose Social Security taxes have accumulated the benefits entitlement.

If you receive benefits based on your own work record, your date of birth is used. If you claim based on the employment history of a family member – such as a spouse or parent – the SSA uses the relative’s birthday.

Jan. 21 is the third Wednesday in January, so tomorrow’s distribution date covers birthdays between the 11th and 20th of any month. The complete three-Wednesdays schedule for January is as follows:

• Born on 1st-10th: Weds., Jan. 14
• Born on 11th-20th: Weds., Jan. 21
• Born on 21st-31st: Weds., Jan. 28

Long wait for January 2026 benefits

Because New Year’s Day 2026 was a Thursday, January’s Wednesday payments come at their latest possible points in the month. October is the only other month this year when the second Wednesday falls as late as the 14th.

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Who doesn’t get paid on the 2nd, 3rd or 4th Wednesday?

• Some long-term Social Security recipients

If you began receiving retirement, SSDI or survivor benefits before May 1997, you are normally paid on the third day of each month, irrespective of your date of birth.

However, as Jan. 3 was a Saturday, these beneficiaries were instead scheduled to get their January money on the earliest working day before then: Friday, Jan. 2.

• Recipients of SSI benefits

The nearly 7.4 million recipients of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) in the U.S. are typically paid on the first day of each month.

But New Year’s Day is a federal holiday, so January’s SSI benefits were due to go out 24 hours ahead of schedule, on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025.

This is the first of three straight months in which SSI benefits are to be paid early: February and March’s payments will each go out two days early – on Jan. 30 and Feb. 27, respectively – as they are both months that kick off with a Sunday.

Unlike the SSA’s retirement, SSDI and survivor programs, SSI is a purely needs-based scheme. Aimed at low-income individuals who are over 65 or have a disability, SSI does not depend on a recipient’s payment of Social Security taxes.

• Dual recipients (SSI + regular Social Security)

Around 2.5 million people in the U.S. receive both SSI and one of the SSA’s retirement, SSDI or survivor benefits. For January, these dual recipients were scheduled to be paid the former on Dec. 31, and the latter on Jan. 2.

At a glance – Jan. payment dates not determined by birthday:

• SSI recipients: Wednesday, Dec. 31 (Jan. payment)
• Pre-May ’97 Social Sec. recipients: Friday, Jan. 2
• Dual recipients: SSI on Dec. 31; Social Sec. on Jan. 2
• SSI recipients: Friday, Jan. 30 (Feb. payment)

You can take a look at the SSA’s 2026 benefits-distribution schedule in full in this online calendar published by the agency.

How much do Social Security and SSI recipients get per month?

As of December 2025, retired workers – who account for most of the U.S.’s Social Security beneficiaries – were paid $2,071.30 a month on average, per the most recent figures shared by the SSA. Disabled workers got an average of $1,633.19 a month, and recipients of survivor benefits were issued $1,620.95 per month on average. SSI recipients were paid a monthly average of $714.53.

However, the SSA confirmed last fall that its beneficiaries are getting a 2.8% pay rise in 2026, starting with January’s benefits. This comes as part of the agency’s annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). You can find out more about this year’s adjusted benefit amounts in this SSA fact sheet.

How does Social Security send out benefits?

The SSA says it is “in most cases” no longer offering recipients the option of getting their benefits in paper-check form. Instead, the agency gives beneficiaries two ways of receiving payments electronically:

• Direct deposit

By supplying the SSA with their bank details, recipients can get their benefits by direct deposit.

Beneficiaries of retirement, SSDI and survivor pay can update their account information online using the agency’s “my Social Security” portal. SSI recipients should call 1-800-772-1213, the SSA says.

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• Direct Express

Recipients can also have their money loaded onto the Direct Express Card, a special debit card for federal disbursements made to people who do not have a bank account. To sign up for Direct Express, you can call 1-800-333-1795 or visit the service’s website.

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