Social Security benefits go out on Jan. 21: this is who gets a payment

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Next Wednesday, Social Security recipients across the U.S. are to get their first benefits of the new year, in what is the fourth payment run on the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) schedule for January.

Because of the way the SSA organizes its monthly payment calendar, next week’s beneficiaries are among millions who have endured the longest possible wait for their January money.

Who gets a payment from Social Security on Wednesday, Jan. 21?

Payments are scheduled to go out to certain recipients of retirement, disability and survivor benefits.

Of the just over 70 million Americans who receive one of these benefits, most are issued their payment on the second, third or fourth Wednesday in each month.

A recipient’s designated Wednesday is determined by the date of birth of the worker whose Social Security taxes have accumulated the benefits entitlement.

If you receive benefits based on your own work record, your date of birth is used. If you claim based on the employment history of a family member – such as a spouse or parent – the SSA uses the relative’s birthday.

Jan. 21 is the third Wednesday in January, so next week’s distribution date covers birthdays that fall between the 11th and 20th of any month. The full three-Wednesdays schedule for January is as follows:

Beneficiaries born on 1st-10th: Weds., Jan. 14
Beneficiaries born on 11th-20th: Weds., Jan. 21
Beneficiaries born on 21st-31st: Weds., Jan. 28

Because New Year’s Day 2026 was a Thursday, January’s trio of Wednesday payments come at their latest possible points in the month. October is the only other month this year when the second Wednesday falls as late as the 14th.

Who isn’t paid January benefits on the 2nd, 3rd or 4th Wednesday?

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.

Beneficiaries of the SSI scheme

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 2026 benefits-distribution schedule in full in this online pdf shared by the agency.

How much do Social Security and SSI beneficiaries get per month?

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

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 more information on this year’s adjusted benefit amounts, take a look at this SSA fact sheet.

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How does the Social Security Administration make benefits payments?

The SSA says it is “in most cases” no longer offering recipients the option of getting their benefits in paper-check form. Instead, the agency gives beneficiaries two ways of picking up payments electronically:

Direct deposit

By providing 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 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.

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