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SSA Announces Retirement, SSI Payment Schedule by Birthdate

5/26/2026

Summary

**SSA Sets Schedule**

Social Security Administration (SSA) pays retirement benefits on the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th Wednesday.
Birth dates 1-10 get the 2nd Wednesday, 11-20 the 3rd, 21-31 the 4th.
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits are paid on 1st or business day if weekend, deposited to a bank account or Direct Express Debit Mastercard.
Report delays to 800-772-1213 or My Social Security portal and file claims online or at 800-333-1795 four months early because the first benefit may take one month.

Summary

**SSA Raises COLA**

The 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) introduced in January 2026 raises the Social Security retirement payment by about $56.
The average 2026 retirement benefit is $1,976, ranging from $1,150 to $2,969.
Fourth-Wednesday dates for 2026 are Jan 28, Feb 25, Mar 25, Apr 22, May 27, Jun 24, Jul 22, Aug 26, Sep 23, Oct 28, Nov 25, Dec 23.
Circumstances such as a suspended earnings-test, changed bank account, incarceration, or a representative payee can delay or hold payments, with payees controlling disbursement.

Summary

**SSA Reviews Rule**

2027 COLA could be 3.9 percent (Senior Citizens League) or 4.2 percent (Mary Johnson).
A 3.9 percent increase would add $78.96 to the $2,024.77 benefit, versus $85.04 for a 4.2 percent rise.
The CPI-W index, up 3.9 percent, guides the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) COLA calculation, with waiting until age 70 yielding $5,181.
The SSA is reviewing a rule that would change how household income counts for SSI eligibility, cutting benefits for seniors and disabled.

Summary

**SSA Faces Shortfall**

Analysis warns the Social Security trust fund could face a shortfall as early as 2032, forcing a 28% cut that would reduce the average $1,976 monthly benefit for 2026 if Congress does nothing.
A Washington think-tank paper proposes an annual $100,000 benefit cap, which advocacy groups say would mainly affect higher-earning retirees and offer limited relief.
Congress has not scheduled a hearing on the cap, leaving the legislative timeline uncertain.

History

Historical Context

President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act in August 1935, creating a payroll-tax funded retirement system administered by the Social Security Administration. After the 1983 amendments—prompted by projected fund exhaustion—trust-fund balances fell, and the 2024 trustees now project depletion by 2035. Congress faces pressure to act before benefits are cut.

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**SSA Sets Schedule**

Social Security Administration (SSA) pays retirement benefits on the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th Wednesday.
Birth dates 1-10 get the 2nd Wednesday, 11-20 the 3rd, 21-31 the 4th.
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits are paid on 1st or business day if weekend, deposited to a bank account or Direct Express Debit Mastercard.
Report delays to 800-772-1213 or My Social Security portal and file claims online or at 800-333-1795 four months early because the first benefit may take one month.

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