Overview
- Monthly payments will continue on Wednesdays based on birth dates: 1st–10th paid the second Wednesday, 11th–20th the third, and 21st–31st the fourth.
- Exceptions remain in place: SSI pays at the beginning or end of the month, dual SSI and Social Security recipients are paid on the 1st and 3rd, and those who claimed before May 1997 are paid on the 3rd.
- A 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment begins with January 2026 benefits, lifting the average retired worker’s check to about $2,071 a month.
- Roughly 74 million Americans receive Social Security each month, with typical payments commonly ranging from about $800 to $3,000.
- Medicare costs are set to increase in 2026, and some seniors may see additional tax relief, which together could influence net benefit amounts.