Social Security benefits to go out on Wednesday, Jan. 14: here’s who gets a payment

view original post

Next Wednesday, millions of Americans are to receive their first Social Security benefits of the new year, having faced the longest possible wait for their January payment.

Who gets a payment from Social Security on Wednesday, Jan. 14?

Social Security payments are scheduled to go out to certain recipients of retirement, disability and survivor benefits.

Of the just over 70 million people who receive one of these benefits in the U.S., most are paid on the second, third or fourth Wednesday in each month.

A recipient’s designated Wednesday is determined by their date of birth (unless they are claiming benefits based on the employment record of a family member, such as a spouse or parent; in this case, the SSA uses the relative’s birthday).

As it is the second Wednesday in January, next week’s distribution date covers birthdays between the first and 10th of each month. Between them, the following two Wednesdays – Jan. 21 and Jan. 28 – will account for birthdays that fall from the 11th to the 31st.

Because 2026 began on a Thursday, January’s three Wednesday payment runs come at their latest possible points in the month. Read more.

At a glance – Jan. 2026’s Wednesday payment schedule:

Born on 1st-10th of each month: Weds., Jan. 14
Born on 11th-20th of each month: Weds., Jan. 21
Born on 21st-31st of each month: Weds., Jan. 28

Who doesn’t get paid on the 2nd, 3rd or 4th Wednesday in January?

Certain long-term Social Security recipients

If you began receiving retirement, disability or survivor benefits before May 1997, you are normally paid on the third day of each month, regardless of your date of birth.

However, as Jan. 3 was a Saturday, these beneficiaries were instead scheduled to get their January money on the earliest working day before then: Friday, Jan. 2.

SSI beneficiaries

The nearly 7.4 million recipients of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) – a separate, purely needs-based benefit for low-income individuals who are over 65 or have a disability – are typically paid on the first day of each month.

But New Year’s Day is a federal holiday, so January’s SSI benefits were due to go out 24 hours ahead of schedule, on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025.

This is the first of three straight months in which SSI benefits are to be paid early: February and March’s payments will each go out two days early – on Jan. 30 and Feb. 27, respectively – as they are both months that kick off with a Sunday.

Dual recipients (SSI + regular Social Security)

Around 2.5 million Americans claim both SSI and one of the SSA’s retirement, disability or survivor benefits. For January, these beneficiaries were scheduled to get the former on Dec. 31, and the latter on Jan. 2.

At a glance – Jan. payment dates not determined by birthday:

SSI recipients: Wednesday, Dec. 31 (Jan. payment)
Pre-May ’97 Social Sec. recipients: Friday, Jan. 2
Dual recipients: SSI on Dec. 31; Social Sec. on Jan. 2
SSI recipients: Friday, Jan. 30 (Feb. payment)

You can check out the SSA’s complete benefits-distribution schedule for 2026 in this online pdf.

[embedded content]

How are Social Security and SSI beneficiaries paid per month?

As of November 2025, retired workers – who account for most of the U.S.’s Social Security beneficiaries – got $2,013.32 a month on average, according to the SSA’s most recent figures. Disabled workers were paid $1,588.52 a month on average, and recipients of survivor benefits were issued an average of $1,576.20 a month. SSI beneficiaries got a monthly average of $717.90.

However, the SSA confirmed in October that its beneficiaries are to get a 2.8% rise in their payments in 2026. This comes as part of the agency’s annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA).

For retirement beneficiaries, the 2026 COLA will translate into an average monthly increase of $56, the SSA says. You’ll find more information about this year’s adjusted benefit amounts in this SSA fact sheet.

How does Social Security make monthly benefits payments?

The SSA says it is “in most cases” no longer offering beneficiaries the option of being mailed a paper check. Instead, the agency provides its recipients with two ways of picking up payments electronically:

Direct deposit

By supplying the SSA with their bank details, recipients can get their benefits by direct deposit.

Beneficiaries of retirement, disability and survivor pay can update their account information online using the agency’s “my Social Security” portal. SSI recipients should call call 1-800-772-1213, the SSA says.

Debit Express Card

Recipients can also have their benefits loaded onto the Direct Express Card, a special debit card for federal payments made to people who do not have a bank account. To sign up for Direct Express, you can call 1-800-333-1795 or visit the service’s website.

Investors News