Trays of printed Social Security checks wait to be mailed from the U.S. Treasury’s Financial Management services facility in Philadelphia. (Bradley C Bower, FRE / AP)
Of the over 71 million Americans who receive regular Social Security payments, some will receive their February benefits this week. Another SSI check will also be distributed before the weekend.
Here’s what to know about this week’s payments, along with new changes in 2026.
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The Social Security Administration’s yearly distribution schedule for 2026 is available online so that you can use the calendar for budgeting purposes. Regular Social Security retirement benefits are being sent out on the SSA’s schedule, with the final round of February payments arriving this week.
Those who started receiving benefits before May 1997 — or who receive both Social Security and SSI — should have received their payments on Feb. 3.
For retirees and disability beneficiaries who began receiving payments after May 1997, the February payment schedule is as follows:
Wednesday, Feb. 11 — for those with birthdays between the 1st and 10th
Wednesday, Feb. 18 — for birthdays between the 11th and 20th
Wednesday, Feb. 25 — for birthdays between the 21st and the end of the month
Read more: Are we getting $2,000 stimulus checks this year? New tariff rule may affect that
Those who qualify for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) can expect their March payment before the month begins. The Social Security Administration (SSA) doesn’t issue payments on weekends or federal holidays; since March 1 falls on a Sunday, the checks will be sent out two days early. The Social Security Administration suggests that if you didn’t receive your payment on the expected date, allow three additional mailing days before contacting the agency; most arrive timely because 99% of beneficiaries are paid electronically.
La historia continúa
Thus far, all of the 2026 SSI payments have arrived early due to the scheduling rule: January’s payment came in December 2025, and February’s came in January. April’s payment will break this cycle. Since March’s payment will go out Friday and April’s will arrive on April 1, there will be no SSI checks distributed in the month of March.
Here’s the full 2026 SSI schedule:
Friday, Jan. 30, 2026 (check for February 2026)
Friday, Feb. 27, 2026 (check for March 2026)
Wednesday, April 1, 2026 (check for April 2026)
Friday, May 1, 2026 (check for May 2026)
Monday, June 1, 2026 (check for June 2026)
Wednesday, July 1, 2026 (check for July 2026)
Friday, July 31, 2026 (check for August 2026)
Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026 (check for September 2026)
Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026 (check for October 2026)
Friday, Oct. 30, 2026 (check for November 2026)
Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2026 (check for December 2026)
A sign identifies a building as a Social Security Administration (SSA) office. (Don and Melinda Crawford/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Supplemental Security Income provides monthly benefits to those with limited income or resources who are 65 or older, blind or have a qualifying disability. Children with a qualifying disability can also get SSI, according to the SSA’s website.
In general, adults who qualify for SSI do not have monthly wages above $2,019.
Those who may be eligible for SSI can begin the application process online, in person at their local Social Security office, or by calling 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time, Monday through Friday.
A Social Security card is shown in Tigard, Ore. on Oct. 12, 2021. (Jenny Kane/AP)
The most convenient and secure method is to request a new Social Security card online if you:
are a U.S. citizen age 18 or older
have a U.S. mailing address
don’t need to change the name or other information on the card
have a driver’s license or state-issued ID
have a personal my Social Security account
An application for a new card can be completed by visiting a local Social Security office. You may be able to start the application (Form SS-5) online before scheduling an appointment, or fill out the entire application in-office. In addition to Form SS-5, you must bring unexpired identification documents to the office.
The third and final option for getting a new Social Security card is by mail. You can complete the application (Form SS-5) and mail it along with original or certified copies of required documents, which include those that verify:
Identity: U.S. driver’s license, state-issued non-driver identification card or U.S. passport
U.S. citizenship: U.S. birth certificate or U.S. passport
Once approved, the SSA will typically send you a replacement card within 7 to 10 business days.
The full, or “normal,” retirement age has gradually increased in recent years, rising by two months for each successive birth year. Here are the full retirement ages (FRA) by year of birth for 2026:
1943-1954: age 66
1955: age 66 and two months
1956: age 66 and four months
1957: age 66 and six months
1958: age 66 and eight months
1959: age 66 and 10 months
1960 and later: age 67
Yes, but there are consequences for tapping in too early. Workers can choose to receive benefits as early as age 62, though at a reduced amount. However, those who delay claiming benefits until age 70 are rewarded with a higher monthly payout.
Changes to Social Security in 2026 include a larger cost-of-living adjustment (2.8%, up from 2.5%) and an increase in the maximum taxable earnings limit from $176,100 to $184,500. Just as in 2025, Social Security offices nationwide will generally require an appointment.
In 2025, the highest Social Security benefit for individuals retiring at full retirement age was $4,018 per month, according to the SSA. Due to certain inflation adjustments in how Social Security is calculated and how past earnings are adjusted for inflation, the maximum benefit rose to $5,251 per month, totaling over $63,000 annually in 2026.
Click here to find a Social Security office near you.
