Darnell Simmons, 71, sat at his kitchen table in Memphis at 7:04 a.m. on a Wednesday last February, refreshing his bank app every few minutes. His $967 monthly SSI check — the 2025 federal rate — was supposed to hit, and he needed it before his $312 insulin prescription refill closed at noon.
If Darnell had known the exact Wednesday schedule tied to his September 14th birthday, he would have planned around it years ago. This guide gives you every 2026 date, every dollar amount, and every holiday exception — no guessing required.
Sources: SSA COLA/SSI amounts, SSA SSI benefit calculator
SSI Payment Dates 2026: Full Calendar by Birth Date Group
Read more: SSI Payment Dates 2026: Monthly Schedule
Most SSI recipients receive payments on the second, third, or fourth Wednesday of each month, depending on birth date. Recipients who were already on SSI before still receive payment on the 1st of each month. The three payment groups are: birth dates 1–10, birth dates 11–20, and birth dates 21–31.
| Month | Born 1–10 (2nd Wed) |
Born 11–20 (3rd Wed) |
Born 21–31 (4th Wed) |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 2026 | |||
| February 2026 | |||
| March 2026 | |||
| April 2026 | |||
| May 2026 | |||
| June 2026 | |||
| July 2026 | |||
| August 2026 | |||
| September 2026 | |||
| October 2026 | |||
| November 2026 | |||
| December 2026 |
Source: SSA Guide to SSI (PDF). Dates shift when a Wednesday falls on a federal holiday.
The National Council on Aging notes that the $994 maximum federal SSI payment falls well below the federal poverty line for most households. A one-bedroom apartment costs an average of $1,382/month nationally in 2026, according to Apartment List. That means the maximum SSI check covers roughly 72 cents of every dollar of rent — before utilities, food, or medication.
How the 2026 SSI COLA Increase Raised Payments from $967 to $994
Read more: SSI Payment Schedule 2026: When Your Check Arrives Early
The 2025 federal SSI benefit rate was $967 for individuals and $1,450 for couples. Effective January 1, 2026, those figures rose to $994 for individuals, $1,491 for couples, and $498 for essential persons. The 2.5% COLA drove the increase — the same adjustment applied across all Social Security programs.
To put the $27 monthly gain in context: it covers roughly one week of basic groceries for a single adult, or about 2.5 gallons of regular gas per day for a month. It is meaningful, but it is not transformational for recipients living at or near the poverty threshold.
Frequently Asked Questions
Read more: Social Security April 2026: 3 Payment Dates Based on Your Birthday
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