Throughout the United States, millions of benefits recipients are to be sent their February money in the middle of next week, as the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) three-Wednesdays payment cycle kicks in.
On Wednesday, Feb. 11, the SSA is scheduled to issue payments to certain recipients of retirement benefits, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and survivor pay.
A staggered, birthday-based payment system
Of the 70.6 million people in the U.S. who get one of the above benefits, most are paid on the second, third or fourth Wednesday in each month. A recipient’s designated Wednesday depends on the date of birth of the worker whose Social Security taxes have earned 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.
So who gets Social Security benefits on Wednesday, Feb. 11?
As Feb. 11 is the first Wednesday in February, the payment date covers birthdays between the first and 10th of any month. Subsequent birthdays will then be catered for over the following two weeks:
- Born on 1st-10th: Weds., Feb. 11
- Born on 11th-20th: Weds., Feb. 18
- Born on 21st-31st: Weds., Feb. 25
Who isn’t paid within the SSA’s three-Wednesdays cycle?
- Certain long-term Social Security recipients
If you started getting retirement, SSDI or survivor benefits before May 1997, you are typically paid on the third day of each month, regardless of your date of birth. These beneficiaries were therefore due to receive their February money on Tuesday this week.
Recipients of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) are normally paid on the first of the month. However, as Feb. 1 fell on a Sunday, February’s SSI benefits were paid out on the nearest working day before then: Friday, Jan. 30.
Unlike the SSA’s retirement, SSDI and survivor programs, SSI is a purely needs-based scheme. Aimed at low-income individuals who are over 65 or have a disability, SSI does not require prior payment of Social Security taxes.
- Dual recipients (SSI + regular Social Security)
Around 2.5 million Americans claim both SSI and one of the SSA’s retirement, SSDI or survivor benefits. For February, these dual beneficiaries were due to receive the former on Jan. 30, and the latter on Feb. 3
At a glance – beneficiaries outside the three-Wednesdays cycle:
- SSI: Friday, Jan. 30 (Feb. payment)
- Pre-May ’97 Social Sec.: Tuesday, Feb. 3
- Dual recipients: SSI on Jan. 30; Social Sec. on Feb. 3
- SSI: Friday, Feb. 27 (Mar. payment)
You can check out the SSA’s 2026 benefits-distribution schedule in full in this online calendar.
How much do Social Security and SSI beneficiaries get?
As of January – the first month in which the SSA applied a 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) to its benefits – retired workers received an average of $2,074.53 a month. Disabled workers got an average of $1,633.48 a month, and beneficiaries of survivor pay were issued a monthly average of $1,622.33. SSI recipients’ average monthly benefits were $737.00.
Recipients of retirement pay account for the overwhelming majority of SSA beneficiaries: nearly 57 million out of a total of 72.5 million, across Social Security and SSI.
How does Social Security issue benefits payments?
The SSA says it is “in most cases” no longer giving beneficiaries the option of receiving their money in paper-check form. Instead, the agency offers two ways of picking up payments electronically:
By supplying the SSA with their bank details, recipients can get their benefits by direct deposit.
Beneficiaries of retirement, SSDI 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.
Recipients can also have their money loaded onto the Direct Express Card, a special debit card for federal disbursements made to people without a bank account. You can sign up for Direct Express at 1-800-333-1795 or on the service’s website.
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