Overview

• SSA confirms October deposits will arrive on the regular timetable, with SSI paid on October 1 and monthly benefits following the birthdate-based schedule.
• Non-payment services may slow or pause, including benefit verifications, earnings record corrections, overpayment processing, new or replacement Social Security cards, and Medicare card replacements.
• Essential SSA operations continue to ensure accurate and timely benefits, with most employees retained under the agency’s contingency plan.
• The agency directs beneficiaries to use My Social Security and ssa.gov, along with phone lines, for payment checks and service updates during the shutdown.
• The 2026 cost-of-living adjustment announcement is expected to be delayed because the Labor Department’s inflation report is on hold during the funding lapse.