Social Security Payment Schedule by Birthday

Published August 31, 2026 · Updated September 12, 2026

Start with the benefit type

The date you receive benefits each month depends on your birthday and the type of benefits you receive.

The birthday-based Wednesday schedule

For the birthday-based category, birthdays on the 1st through 10th are paid on the second Wednesday, the 11th through 20th on the third Wednesday, and the 21st through 31st on the fourth Wednesday.

Whose birthday determines the payment day?

For benefits on your own earnings record, use your birthday. If you receive spouse or survivor benefits on someone else's record, SSA generally uses the birthday of the worker whose record the benefits are paid on. SSA explains how the record holder's birthday sets the payment day.

Exceptions use a different schedule

People who filed for benefits before May 1997 are generally paid on the third of the month. A Social Security beneficiary who also receives SSI is also among the categories paid Social Security on the third, while SSI usually follows its first-of-month schedule.

• SSI only: Follow the SSI row, not the birthday groups.
• Both SSI and Social Security: Use the SSI row for SSI and the Social Security-on-the-3rd row for Social Security.
• Social Security before May 1997: Generally use the Social Security-on-the-3rd row.

Other exceptions can apply. If your SSA notice assigns a different schedule, follow that notice. These dates are scheduled payments, not a guarantee of an early deposit offered by a bank.

Check the dated calendar

Use the payment-date tool, then compare the result with SSA's annual schedules for 2026 or 2027.