The Social Security Administration (SSA) has so far distributed February’s monthly benefits to four groups of recipients throughout the United States, across three payment runs.
A further two sets of beneficiaries are still to be issued their benefits for February. Both groups’ distribution dates fall within the SSA’s three-Wednesdays payment cycle, which kicked in earlier this week.
Here’s what you need to know about the Social Security Administration’s February 2026 benefits schedule:
Three-Wednesdays payments cycle – what’s the latest?
Of the 70.6 million people in the U.S. who claim one of the SSA’s retirement, disability or survivor benefits, most will receive their money on one of three days in February: the month’s second, third or fourth Wednesday.
A recipient’s designated Wednesday depends on the date of birth of the worker whose Social Security taxes have accumulated the benefits entitlement.
Birthdays falling between the first and 10th of any month were to be covered on Feb. 11, in the first of February’s Wednesday payment runs. Subsequent birth dates are to be catered for over two distribution dates later this month:
- Born on 1st-10th of any month: Weds., Feb. 11
- Born on 11th-20th of any month: Weds., Feb. 18
- Born on 21st-31st of any month: Weds., Feb. 25
What about other SSA recipients?
According to the SSA’s official schedule, agency beneficiaries who are paid outside of the three-Wednesdays cycle have now been issued their February benefits:
Recipients of the SSA’s Supplemental Security Income (SSI) were the first to get their February 2026 payments. Indeed, they received their benefits before January was over: this month’s SSI was paid out on Friday, Jan. 30.
SSI recipients are typically issued their money on the first day of each month, but as February began on a Sunday, payment was brought forward to the nearest business day.
- Some long-term Social Security beneficiaries
On Tuesday, Feb. 3, certain beneficiaries of the SSA’s retirement, disability and survivor programs were paid for February: specifically, those who have been claiming one of these three benefits since before May 1997.
- Dual beneficiaries: Social Security + SSI
On Feb. 3, retirement, disability and survivor benefits were also issued to recipients who combine one of these monthly Social Security payments with SSI.
A program for low-income individuals who are over 65 or have a disability, SSI has 7.4 million beneficiaries – of which around 2.5 million are dual recipients.
Unlike retirement, disability and survivor benefits, SSI is a solely needs-based scheme. It does not depend on recipients’ payment of Social Security taxes.
Social Security and SSI – every payment date for February 2026:
Retirement, disability and survivor benefits
- Tues., Feb. 3: Pre-May ’97/dual recipients
- Weds., Feb. 11: If born on 1st to 10th
- Weds., Feb. 18: If born on 11th to 20th
- Weds., Feb. 25: If born on 21st to 31st
Supplement Security Income
Are there any other benefits on the February schedule?
Yes: After the three-Wednesdays cycle concludes in just under two weeks’ time, the SSA will have one last batch of payments to make in February. As Mar. 1 is a Sunday, next month’s SSI is to be distributed on the final working day in February: Friday, Feb. 27.
How much are monthly retirement, survivor, disability and SSI benefits?
Per figures shared by the SSA, retired workers were paid $2,074.53 a month on average as of January 2026. Disabled workers received an average of $1,633.48 a month, and beneficiaries of survivor pay were issued a monthly average of $1,622.32. SSI recipients claimed an average of $737.00 per month.
January’s SSA benefits were the first to include the agency’s 2026 cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). Last fall, the SSA revealed that recipients of its retirement, disability and survivor benefits, and SSI beneficiaries, were to be given a 2.8% increase in their monthly payments.
How does the Social Security Administration send out benefits?
The SSA offers two electronic payment methods:
- Recipients can have their monthly benefits paid into their bank account by direct deposit
- Alternatively, benefits can be loaded onto the Direct Express Card, a debit card for federal payments made to people who do not have a bank account
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