Social Security is sending out payments on Wednesday, Feb. 25: here’s who gets a check

Next week, certain Social Security beneficiaries are to receive their latest monthly benefits, as the Social Security Administration (SSA) completes its three-Wednesdays payment cycle for February 2026.

On Feb. 25, the SSA is scheduled to distribute February’s monthly benefits to a particular group of Americans who claim retirement, disability or survivor pay.

How does Social Security’s Wednesday cycle work?

Of the just under 71 million people who receive Social Security retirement, disability or survivor benefits in the U.S., most get their monthly payments on the second, third or fourth Wednesday in each month.

A beneficiary’s designated Wednesday depends on the date of birth of the worker whose Social Security taxes have accumulated the benefits entitlement.

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

Who’s getting Social Security benefits on Wednesday, Feb. 25?

Feb. 25 is the fourth Wednesday in February 2026, so next week’s payment run covers birthdays between the 21st and 31st of any month. The complete three-Wednesdays payment cycle for February is as follows:

• Born on 1st to 10th: Weds., Feb. 11
• Born on 11th to 20th: Weds., Feb. 18
• Born on 21st to 31st: Weds., Feb. 25

Who receives SSA benefits outside the three-Wednesdays cycle?

• Some long-term Social Security recipients

Beneficiaries who started claiming retirement, disability or survivor benefits before May 1997 are typically paid on the third day of each month, regardless of date of birth. In February, these long-standing recipients were therefore due to be issued benefits on Tuesday, Feb. 3.

• SSI recipients

Recipients of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) – a separate SSA benefit for low-income, low-resource Americans – are normally paid on the first of the month, no matter what day they were born.

However, as Feb. 1 was a Sunday, this month’s SSI was sent out on the nearest working day before then: Friday, Jan. 30. March’s SSI will arrive slightly early, too: next month also begins on a Sunday, so payment is to be brought forward to Friday, Feb. 27.

Unlike the SSA’s retirement, disability and survivor programs, SSI is a purely needs-based scheme. Aimed at individuals who are over 65 or have a disability, SSI does not depend on prior Social Security-tax contributions.

• Dual recipients (SSI + regular Social Security)

Around 2.5 million Americans receive both SSI and one of the SSA’s retirement, disability or survivor benefits. For February, these twin beneficiaries were to be paid SSI on Jan. 30, before receiving Social Security on Feb. 3.

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February payments outside the three-Wednesdays cycle:

• SSI: Fri., Jan. 30 (Feb. payment)
• Pre-May ’97 Social Sec.: Tue., Feb. 3
• Dual recipients: SSI on Jan. 30; Social Sec. on Feb. 3
• SSI: Fri., Feb. 27 (Mar. payment)

You can take a look at the SSA’s complete benefits-distribution calendar for 2026 here.

How much are Social Security and SSI benefits each month?

As of January 2026 – the first month in which the SSA applied a 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) – retired workers were paid a monthly average of $2,074.53, according to the agency. Retirement recipients account for the overwhelming majority of SSA beneficiaries in the U.S.: over three-quarters of the total of 72.5 million.

Disabled workers got an average of $1,633.48 a month as of January, while survivors received a monthly average of $1,622.32. SSI payments averaged $737.00 a month.

How does Social Security make monthly benefits payments?

The SSA says it “in most cases” no longer issues benefits as paper checks. Instead, beneficiaries are offered two ways of picking up their monthly payments electronically:

• Direct deposit

By providing the SSA with their bank details, recipients can have their money paid into their account by direct deposit. Social Security beneficiaries can update their banking info using the “my Social Security” online portal. SSI recipients should call 1-800-772-1213, the SSA says.

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• Direct Express

Alternatively, payments can be loaded onto the Direct Express Card, a debit card for federal disbursements made to people who do not have a bank account. You can sign up for Direct Express at 1-800-333-1795 or by visiting the service’s website.

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