Publisher-verified against the official SSA 2026 payment calendar and current SSA payment rules on July 26, 2026. This article has not received professional benefits, legal, tax, or financial review.
Quick answer. For many people who applied for Social Security after April 30, 1997, payment day is based on the birthday of the person whose work record pays the benefit: the second Wednesday for birthdays on the 1st–10th, the third Wednesday for the 11th–20th, and the fourth Wednesday for the 21st–31st. Different rules apply to people paid before May 1997, people receiving both Social Security and SSI, and SSI-only recipients.
This page lists the verified 2026 dates for retirement, survivor, and Social Security Disability Insurance payments, plus Supplemental Security Income dates. Use SSA’s payment-schedule page or your account to confirm the date for a specific record.
Next payments after July 26, 2026
| Date | Who the date applies to |
|---|---|
| Friday, July 31 | August 2026 SSI payment, issued early because August 1 is a Saturday |
| Monday, August 3 | Social Security for people covered by the third-of-month schedule |
| Wednesday, August 12 | Birthday on the 1st–10th |
| Wednesday, August 19 | Birthday on the 11th–20th |
| Wednesday, August 26 | Birthday on the 21st–31st |
| Tuesday, September 1 | September 2026 SSI payment |
These dates come from the official SSA 2026 calendar. An early SSI payment is not an extra payment; it is the next month’s payment arriving before a weekend or federal holiday.
Which payment schedule applies?
| Situation | Normal payment rule |
|---|---|
| Applied for Social Security after April 30, 1997, and do not receive SSI | Second, third, or fourth Wednesday based on the worker-record birthday |
| Received or applied for Social Security on or before April 30, 1997 | Third of the month, adjusted earlier when required |
| Receive both Social Security and SSI | Social Security on the third; SSI on the first, each adjusted earlier when required |
| Receive only SSI | First of the month, or the prior business day when the first is a weekend or federal holiday |
SSA assigns the date; a beneficiary cannot choose another payment day. See the current SSA FAQ, “Can I change the date I receive my benefits?”
2026 Social Security dates by birthday
This table applies to the birthday-based schedule. The November date for the 1st–10th group is Tuesday, November 10, because the normal second Wednesday is Veterans Day, a federal holiday, and SSA uses the preceding non-holiday day.
| Month | Birthday 1st–10th | Birthday 11th–20th | Birthday 21st–31st |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Jan 14 | Jan 21 | Jan 28 |
| February | Feb 11 | Feb 18 | Feb 25 |
| March | Mar 11 | Mar 18 | Mar 25 |
| April | Apr 8 | Apr 15 | Apr 22 |
| May | May 13 | May 20 | May 27 |
| June | Jun 10 | Jun 17 | Jun 24 |
| July | Jul 8 | Jul 15 | Jul 22 |
| August | Aug 12 | Aug 19 | Aug 26 |
| September | Sep 9 | Sep 16 | Sep 23 |
| October | Oct 14 | Oct 21 | Oct 28 |
| November | Nov 10 | Nov 18 | Nov 25 |
| December | Dec 9 | Dec 16 | Dec 23 |
SSA’s accessible Paying Monthly Benefits page explains the birthday groups and the preceding-day rule for a Wednesday federal holiday. OPM lists Veterans Day on Wednesday, November 11, 2026.
2026 third-of-month Social Security dates
This schedule applies to people who received or applied for Social Security on or before April 30, 1997, and to people receiving both Social Security and SSI.
| Benefit month | Payment date | Why early, if applicable |
|---|---|---|
| January | Jan 2 | January 3 is Saturday |
| February | Feb 3 | — |
| March | Mar 3 | — |
| April | Apr 3 | — |
| May | May 1 | May 3 is Sunday |
| June | Jun 3 | — |
| July | Jul 2 | Independence Day is observed July 3 |
| August | Aug 3 | — |
| September | Sep 3 | — |
| October | Oct 2 | October 3 is Saturday |
| November | Nov 3 | — |
| December | Dec 3 | — |
2026 SSI payment dates by benefit month
SSI is normally due on the first of the month. When the first is a weekend or federal holiday, SSA issues the payment on the last business day before it.
| SSI benefit month | Payment date | Early-payment note |
|---|---|---|
| January 2026 | Dec 31, 2025 | January 1 is a federal holiday |
| February 2026 | Jan 30, 2026 | February 1 is Sunday |
| March 2026 | Feb 27, 2026 | March 1 is Sunday |
| April 2026 | Apr 1, 2026 | — |
| May 2026 | May 1, 2026 | — |
| June 2026 | Jun 1, 2026 | — |
| July 2026 | Jul 1, 2026 | — |
| August 2026 | Jul 31, 2026 | August 1 is Saturday |
| September 2026 | Sep 1, 2026 | — |
| October 2026 | Oct 1, 2026 | — |
| November 2026 | Oct 30, 2026 | November 1 is Sunday |
| December 2026 | Dec 1, 2026 | — |
| January 2027 | Dec 31, 2026 | January 1 is a federal holiday |
Why July, October, and December have two SSI deposits
- July: July 1 is the July payment; July 31 is the August payment.
- October: October 1 is the October payment; October 30 is the November payment.
- December: December 1 is the December payment; December 31 is the January 2027 payment.
SSA explains that the second deposit is not a duplicate or bonus. It is the following month’s SSI payment issued early. As a result, no separate SSI deposit arrives in August or November 2026 or January 2027.
What to do if an electronic payment is missing
- Check that the date in this calendar applies to your benefit type and record.
- If the scheduled date has arrived and the electronic payment is not posted, contact the bank or financial institution first.
- If the payment still must be reported, call SSA at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) or contact a local Social Security office.
This sequence comes from SSA’s current missing-payment FAQ. Earlier missing-payment guidance on this page was replaced on July 26, 2026, so the instructions now match SSA’s current electronic-payment sequence.
Related Guru Gazette guides
- Social Security in 2026
- SSI payment schedule in 2026
- SSDI payment schedule in 2026
- Social Security direct deposit and Direct Express
Official sources
- SSA: Schedule of Social Security Benefit Payments — Calendar 2026
- SSA: Paying Monthly Benefits
- SSA: Can I change the date I receive my benefits?
- SSA: Getting Two SSI Payments in One Month
- SSA: How do I report a missing payment?
- OPM: 2026 Holiday Schedule
The Guru Gazette is an independent publisher and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Social Security Administration or another government agency. Publisher verification is not professional benefits, legal, tax, or financial review. Editorial status: This guide has been checked against the cited official sources. Independent subject-matter review has not been completed.
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