The first batch of social security benefits in the United States is set to be distributed in October. According to the schedule of the Social Security Administration (SSA), beneficiaries born between the 1st and 10th of the month will receive their social security benefits on Wednesday, October 8th.
Millions of Americans will receive their social security benefits this week.
Currently, about 70 million Americans rely on SSA retirement or disability benefits for their monthly income. Due to the large scale of the program, payments are being made in batches.
According to the SSA benefits payment calendar, beneficiaries born between the 1st and 10th of the month usually receive their payments on the second Wednesday of the payment month. Those born between the 11th and 20th will receive payments on the third Wednesday, and those born after the 20th will receive payments on the fourth Wednesday.
Social security benefits are mainly distributed to the elderly or retirees and are typically paid out on Wednesdays.
Those who started receiving social security benefits before May 1997 typically receive their payments on the 3rd of each month, with adjustments for weekends or public holidays.
For individuals receiving both social security benefits and Supplemental Security Income (SSI), social security benefits are paid on the 3rd of each month, while SSI payments are made on the 1st of each month.
The original plan was for SSI checks to be issued on the first working day of each month, starting on October 1, 2025.
According to the SSA work calendar, the SSI payment dates for the end of 2025 and the beginning of 2026 are as follows:
– October 31, 2025 (Friday) (November 2025 payments)
– December 1, 2025 (Monday) (December 2025 payments)
– December 31, 2025 (Wednesday) (January 2026 payments)
– January 30, 2026 (Friday) (February 2026 payments)
– February 27, 2026 (Friday) (March 2026 payments)
Starting this month, the SSA has officially implemented a new paperless policy. Most recipients are required to set up direct deposit to a bank account or use the Direct Express card for payment.
The shift from paper checks to direct deposit was prompted by an executive order signed by President Trump in March, calling for the federal government to stop issuing paper checks by September 30.
It is expected that the SSA will announce this month whether there will be an increase in payment amounts for the following year and by what percentage.
Since 1975, the SSA has used the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) data from July to September to calculate the Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) to ensure that benefits keep pace with the rising costs of essential items such as housing, food, and medical expenses.
The COLA for 2026 will apply to all Social Security programs, including retirement benefits, spousal benefits, survivor benefits, and Supplemental Security Income. The adjustments will be reflected in the payment amounts starting in January of the next year.
During a government shutdown, social security payments are expected to continue as usual, as the program’s funding is separate from the annual budget process. However, some employees may be forced to take furloughs during a shutdown, which could impact agency operations, leading to delays in processing new applications, hindrances in reissuing lost social security cards, or delays in responding to customer service requests.