When are Social Security benefits being sent out for Jan. 2026? Find out the full payment schedule
With almost all of December’s benefits now sent out – there is one round of payments to go – the Social Security Administration (SSA) is preparing to kick off its 2026 schedule, which features increased monthly amounts.
How much are Social Security and SSI benefits going up by in 2026?
In October, the SSA revealed that recipients of its retirement, disability and survivor benefits, as well as beneficiaries of the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) scheme, will get a 2.8% rise in their payments. For retirees, who make up the majority of the SSA’s beneficiaries, this will translate into an average monthly increase of $56.
You can find out more about how the SSA’s 2026 cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) will affect benefit amounts in this explainer published by the agency.
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When do January’s Social Security and SSI benefits go out?
The first recipients of 2026’s disbursements will be SSI beneficiaries, whose January money is to be issued on Dec. 31 – a day earlier than usual, as Jan. 1 is a federal holiday.
SSI’s February 2026 payments will also arrive slightly ahead of their regular schedule – they’re slated for Jan. 30, as both Feb.1 and Jan. 31 are weekend days.
Of the 70.4 million Americans who receive retirement, survivor or disability benefits, most will be paid on the second, third or fourth Wednesday in January – depending on their date of birth.
As the month begins on a Thursday, this trio of Wednesday payment runs falls on the latest dates possible.
Jan. 2026 payment dates – retirement, survivor and disability:
- Fri., Jan. 2: Recipients since pre-May ’97/also on SSI
- Weds., Jan. 14: If born 1st-10th of each month
- Weds., Jan. 21: If born 11th-20th of each month
- Weds., Jan. 28: If born 21st-31st of each month
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Jan. 2026 payment dates – SSI benefits
- Weds., Dec. 31, 2025: Jan. 2026 payment
- Fri., Jan. 30, 2026: Feb. 2026 payment
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How much are retirement, survivor, disability and SSI benefits?
According to the latest figures shared by the SSA, retired workers are paid $2,013.32 a month on average. Disabled workers get $1,588.52 a month on average, and beneficiaries of survivor pay receive an average of $1,576.20 a month. SSI recipients are, on average, paid $717.90 a month.
SSA beneficiaries have the choice of two electronic payment methods:
- Recipients can have their money transferred into their bank account by direct deposit
- The SSA can load their benefits onto the Direct Express Card, a special debit card for federal disbursements
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