2026 Social Security Payment Dates: Birth Date‑Based Schedule

The Social Security Administration (SSA) sets benefit payment dates for retirement, disability, survivor, and some other Social Security benefits according to the recipient’s birth date. For February 2026, most beneficiaries will receive their checks on three specific Wednesdays:

• February 11, 2026: People with birthdays on the 1st through 10th
• February 18, 2026: People with birthdays on the 11th through 20th
• February 25, 2026: People with birthdays on the 21st through 31st

This schedule applies to most Social Security beneficiaries who began receiving benefits after May 1997. Benefits include retirement income, disability insurance (SSDI), and survivor benefits.

For February 2026, SSI payments will arrive early on January 30, 2026, because February 1st falls on a Sunday, prompting the Social Security Administration (SSA) to issue payments on the preceding business day.

This early payment, which includes the 2026 Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA), means some recipients get two payments in January (their regular January payment plus the February payment), followed by no deposit in March. The maximum federal SSI amount for an individual in 2026 is $994.