Overview
- Retirees with birthdays on the 11th–20th receive December payments on Wednesday, Dec. 17, with those born on the 21st or later paid on Wednesday, Dec. 24.
- Most payment dates follow birthdate-based waves, while people who began benefits before May 1997 and SSI recipients use separate schedules.
- SSI's January 2026 payment, worth up to $994 for individuals, will be issued on Wednesday, Dec. 31 due to the New Year’s Day holiday.
- A 2.8% COLA takes effect with January 2026 payments, lifting the average retired worker benefit to about $2,071 and raising the full-retirement-age maximum to roughly $4,152.
- Maximum monthly benefits vary by claim age, topping out at $5,108 for someone who delays to 70, with roughly 70 million Americans receiving SSA payments each month.