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Direct answer: Social Security pays on the second, third or fourth Wednesday, by the birthday of the worker whose record you're paid on: 1st-10th, 11th-20th or 21st-31st. SSI comes on the 1st. People who started before May 1997, or also get SSI, get Social Security on the 3rd. Weekends and holidays move payments earlier.
By the numbers: In November 2026, people born on the 1st to 10th are paid Tuesday, Nov. 10, a day early, because Wednesday, Nov. 11 is Veterans Day. November's SSI comes early, on Friday, Oct. 30. Source: SSA Schedule of Social Security Benefit Payments 2026
“If the scheduled Wednesday payment day is a Federal holiday, payment is made on the preceding day that is not a Federal holiday.” — SSA Handbook section 121.2
Updated 2026-10-17
Tuesday, Nov. 10 if you were born on the 1st to 10th (Nov. 11 is Veterans Day), Wednesday, Nov. 18 for the 11th to 20th, and Wednesday, Nov. 25 for the 21st to 31st. If you're paid on the 3rd, it's Tuesday, Nov. 3. This is SSA's published 2026 calendar.
Because Nov. 1, 2026 is a Sunday, SSA pays November's SSI early, on Friday, Oct. 30. So October has two SSI deposits and November has none. December's SSI comes Dec. 1, and January 2027's comes early on Dec. 31, 2026 because Jan. 1 is a holiday.
If you started benefits in May 1997 or later, a birthday on the 1st to 10th means the second Wednesday, the 11th to 20th the third Wednesday, and the 21st to 31st the fourth Wednesday. For spouse, child or survivor benefits, it's the birthday of the worker whose record you're paid on.
People who got benefits before May 1997, people who also get SSI, people whose state pays their Medicare premiums, people living outside the U.S., and a few other groups SSA lists in Handbook section 121.3. If the 3rd is a weekend or holiday, they're paid the business day before.
SSI and people paid on the 3rd get it Thursday, Dec. 31, 2026, because Jan. 1 is a holiday and Jan. 3 is a Sunday. Everyone else gets it in January 2027: Jan. 13, 20 or 27, depending on birthday. The 2027 COLA is 3.6%.
Last month. SSA says Social Security is paid the month after it's due, so the payment you get in January is for December. SSI is different: it's paid for the month it arrives, on the 1st, or early if the 1st is a weekend or holiday.
SSA asks you to allow three more mailing days after the expected date before contacting it. Then call 1-800-772-1213, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time, Monday to Friday (TTY 1-800-325-0778), or use SSA's website.
As of Oct. 17, 2026
Find your group, then your day. Most people are paid on a Wednesday picked by birthday: 1st–10th second Wednesday, 11th–20th third, 21st–31st fourth. SSI is paid on the 1st, and Social Security on the 3rd for people who started before May 1997 or also get SSI. When that day is a weekend or federal holiday, the money comes the business day before.
The math:
Sources: SSA 2026 calendar · SSA 2027 calendar · SSA Handbook 121
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Sources: SSA 2026 calendar · SSA 2027 calendar. January 2027 payments are the first with the 3.6% COLA.
| Payment month | Born 1st–10th | Born 11th–20th | Born 21st–31st | Paid on the 3rd | SSI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Wed., Jan. 13 | Wed., Jan. 20 | Wed., Jan. 27 | Thu., Dec. 31, 2026* | Thu., Dec. 31, 2026* |
| February | Wed., Feb. 10 | Wed., Feb. 17 | Wed., Feb. 24 | Wed., Feb. 3 | Mon., Feb. 1 |
| March | Wed., March 10 | Wed., March 17 | Wed., March 24 | Wed., March 3 | Mon., March 1 |
| April | Wed., April 14 | Wed., April 21 | Wed., April 28 | Fri., April 2* | Thu., April 1 |
| May | Wed., May 12 | Wed., May 19 | Wed., May 26 | Mon., May 3 | Fri., April 30* |
| June | Wed., June 9 | Wed., June 16 | Wed., June 23 | Thu., June 3 | Tue., June 1 |
| July | Wed., July 14 | Wed., July 21 | Wed., July 28 | Fri., July 2* | Thu., July 1 |
| August | Wed., Aug. 11 | Wed., Aug. 18 | Wed., Aug. 25 | Tue., Aug. 3 | Fri., July 30* |
| September | Wed., Sept. 8 | Wed., Sept. 15 | Wed., Sept. 22 | Fri., Sept. 3 | Wed., Sept. 1 |
| October | Wed., Oct. 13 | Wed., Oct. 20 | Wed., Oct. 27 | Fri., Oct. 1* | Fri., Oct. 1 |
| November | Wed., Nov. 10 | Wed., Nov. 17 | Wed., Nov. 24 | Wed., Nov. 3 | Mon., Nov. 1 |
| December | Wed., Dec. 8 | Wed., Dec. 15 | Wed., Dec. 22 | Fri., Dec. 3 | Wed., Dec. 1 |
January 2028 SSI is paid early, Thu., Dec. 30, 2027 (Jan. 1, 2028 is a Saturday and Dec. 31 is the observed holiday). * Paid early because the usual day is a weekend or federal holiday. Source: SSA 2027 calendar (OPM holidays for holiday names).
| Payment month | Born 1st–10th | Born 11th–20th | Born 21st–31st | Paid on the 3rd | SSI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Wed., Jan. 14 | Wed., Jan. 21 | Wed., Jan. 28 | Fri., Jan. 2* | Wed., Dec. 31, 2025* |
| February | Wed., Feb. 11 | Wed., Feb. 18 | Wed., Feb. 25 | Tue., Feb. 3 | Fri., Jan. 30* |
| March | Wed., March 11 | Wed., March 18 | Wed., March 25 | Tue., March 3 | Fri., Feb. 27* |
| April | Wed., April 8 | Wed., April 15 | Wed., April 22 | Fri., April 3 | Wed., April 1 |
| May | Wed., May 13 | Wed., May 20 | Wed., May 27 | Fri., May 1* | Fri., May 1 |
| June | Wed., June 10 | Wed., June 17 | Wed., June 24 | Wed., June 3 | Mon., June 1 |
| July | Wed., July 8 | Wed., July 15 | Wed., July 22 | Thu., July 2* | Wed., July 1 |
| August | Wed., Aug. 12 | Wed., Aug. 19 | Wed., Aug. 26 | Mon., Aug. 3 | Fri., July 31* |
| September | Wed., Sept. 9 | Wed., Sept. 16 | Wed., Sept. 23 | Thu., Sept. 3 | Tue., Sept. 1 |
| October | Wed., Oct. 14 | Wed., Oct. 21 | Wed., Oct. 28 | Fri., Oct. 2* | Thu., Oct. 1 |
| November | Tue., Nov. 10* | Wed., Nov. 18 | Wed., Nov. 25 | Tue., Nov. 3 | Fri., Oct. 30* |
| December | Wed., Dec. 9 | Wed., Dec. 16 | Wed., Dec. 23 | Thu., Dec. 3 | Tue., Dec. 1 |
* Paid early because the usual day is a weekend or federal holiday. Source: SSA 2026 calendar (OPM holidays for holiday names).
| Who | Paid on | If that day is a weekend or holiday |
|---|---|---|
| Social Security (retirement, SSDI, spouse, child, survivor), started May 1997 or later | 2nd Wednesday (birthday 1st–10th), 3rd Wednesday (11th–20th), 4th Wednesday (21st–31st) | The day before that isn't a federal holiday |
| Social Security, started before May 1997, or also getting SSI (and the other groups in Handbook 121.3) | The 3rd | The business day before |
| SSI (Supplemental Security Income) | The 1st | The business day before, which can be in the month before |
Social Security is paid the month after it's due (January's benefit arrives in February); SSI is paid for the month it arrives. Sources: SSA Handbook 121 · SSA: paying monthly benefits · SSA payment calendars.
SSA Handbook section 121.3 lists people who get Social Security on the 3rd even if they filed in May 1997 or later:
If you're paid on the 3rd, you can choose to move to a Wednesday if everyone paid on your record agrees. SSA says that change is permanent (Handbook 121.4). Source: SSA Handbook 121.
When the 1st lands on a weekend or holiday, SSI comes at the end of the month before. That makes some months have two SSI deposits and leaves the next month with none.
The second deposit is next month's SSI paid early, not an extra payment. Only one Wednesday payment moves in 2026 and 2027: born 1st–10th in November 2026, paid Tue., Nov. 10, 2026 because Nov. 11 is Veterans Day. Sources: SSA 2026 calendar · SSA 2027 calendar · OPM holidays.
How we built this: we computed every date from SSA's written rules (Handbook 121) and OPM's holiday list, then checked all 120 dates against the dates marked on SSA's 2026 and 2027 calendars. They all match. SSA's calendar page lists 2025, 2026 and 2027; we'll add 2028 when SSA publishes it.
Facts, not advice. Your SSA award letter or my Social Security account shows your own payment day. Banks generally post federal deposits on the payment date.
Tuesday, Nov. 10 if you were born on the 1st to 10th (Nov. 11 is Veterans Day), Wednesday, Nov. 18 for the 11th to 20th, and Wednesday, Nov. 25 for the 21st to 31st. If you're paid on the 3rd, it's Tuesday, Nov. 3. This is SSA's published 2026 calendar.
Because Nov. 1, 2026 is a Sunday, SSA pays November's SSI early, on Friday, Oct. 30. So October has two SSI deposits and November has none. December's SSI comes Dec. 1, and January 2027's comes early on Dec. 31, 2026 because Jan. 1 is a holiday.
If you started benefits in May 1997 or later, a birthday on the 1st to 10th means the second Wednesday, the 11th to 20th the third Wednesday, and the 21st to 31st the fourth Wednesday. For spouse, child or survivor benefits, it's the birthday of the worker whose record you're paid on.
People who got benefits before May 1997, people who also get SSI, people whose state pays their Medicare premiums, people living outside the U.S., and a few other groups SSA lists in Handbook section 121.3. If the 3rd is a weekend or holiday, they're paid the business day before.
SSI and people paid on the 3rd get it Thursday, Dec. 31, 2026, because Jan. 1 is a holiday and Jan. 3 is a Sunday. Everyone else gets it in January 2027: Jan. 13, 20 or 27, depending on birthday. The 2027 COLA is 3.6%.
Last month. SSA says Social Security is paid the month after it's due, so the payment you get in January is for December. SSI is different: it's paid for the month it arrives, on the 1st, or early if the 1st is a weekend or holiday.
SSA asks you to allow three more mailing days after the expected date before contacting it. Then call 1-800-772-1213, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time, Monday to Friday (TTY 1-800-325-0778), or use SSA's website.
Facts, not financial advice, and not an SSA benefit estimate. Rules and amounts change yearly; check your own record and estimates at ssa.gov/myaccount.