When Will Your Social Security Check Be Deposited in 2026?

I live in Florida and, if you're a retiree in the Sunshine State (or you've ever spent any time around retirees), you probably know that Social Security Day is the greatest day of the month and a day worth looking forward to all month long.

Unlike most workers who get a biweekly paycheck, if you're collecting Social Security, you get one check per month deposited into your bank account. And, since 67% of seniors rely on Social Security for more than half their income, according to the Senior Citizens League, it's understandable that the Social Security deposit schedule is a closely watched calendar.

So, when exactly is the date when your Social Security checks will arrive? It actually depends on what kind of Social Security benefits you're getting and your birthday.

Here's what you need to know.

Social Security payments by birthdate

In 1997, Social Security changed the schedule for when it pays benefits. Before that time, all payments were made on the third of the month. Since Social Security sends out payments to millions, this was understandably a lot of work, and it made it hard for Social Security to provide good service.

To fix that problem, Social Security decided to stagger payments, so now your birthday is the key factor determining when your benefit check will arrive. Specifically:

• If your birthday is on the 1st to the 10th, you get your Social Security benefits on the second Wednesday of the month.
• If your birthday is between the 11th and the 20th, you get your birthday on the third Wednesday.
• If your birthday is between the 21st and the 31st, you get your payment on the fourth Wednesday.

Lawmakers didn't want to change the Social Security deposit schedule mid-stream, so anyone who started their benefits before May of 1997 will still get their payment on the third.

There are also a few other cases where you may fall outside this normal schedule. Specifically:

• If you collect both Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits and Social Security benefits, your SSI payment will come on the 1st of the month, and your Social Security payment will come on the 3rd.
• If you're getting Social Security benefits on your parents' or spouses' work history, you'll get your benefits on the same day as the primary beneficiary does (that would be your parent or spouse).

So, mark these days on your calendar if you're collecting Social Security and are eagerly awaiting that deposit into your bank account.

How holidays affect payments

Once you get the Social Security payment schedule down pat, you'll understandably expect your money to arrive on schedule. Unfortunately, holidays can throw a wrench in those plans, so you need to know how holidays impact your deposits.

If your regularly scheduled payment falls on a Saturday, a Sunday, or a legal public holiday, your benefit is paid the business day before your due date. This is most likely to affect people who get their benefits on the 1st, but there are also some Wednesday beneficiaries affected as well.

Here are the days when the benefits schedule has disruptions in 2026.

• Jan. 1, 2026: Benefits were paid on Dec. 31, 2025, since this was New Year's Day.
• February 1, 2026: Benefits were paid on Jan. 30, 2026, because Feb. 1 was a Sunday.
• March 1, 2026: Benefits will be paid on Feb. 27, 2026, because March 1 is a Sunday.
• July 3, 2026: Benefits will be paid on Thursday, July 2, 2026, because the Federal Government recognizes Friday, July 3, as the Independence Day holiday.
• Nov. 11, 2026: Since this is Veterans' Day, benefits will be paid on Nov. 10, 2026.

Fortunately, even when there's a schedule change, you'll get your money early, so this shouldn't throw off your budget too much. Of course, I think everyone can still agree that holidays on Wednesdays are the worst!

How to report a missing Social Security payment

For retirees on Social Security, there's one piece of really good news: Your benefits are as reliable as they get. In fact, Social Security has never missed a payment in over eight decades.

Of course, this doesn't mean your personal payment won't ever go missing, though. If it does, there's a process to follow to track down your cash. Here's what you should do.

• Wait it out: The Social Security Administration asks you to allow 3 additional mailing days before contacting Social Security if you don't receive your payment.
• Contact your bank first: There's a good chance the problem is on their end, and the bank is having an issue processing the payment. They may be able to resolve it.
• Reach out to Social Security: If your payment doesn't turn up after 3 days and your bank can't fix it, it's time to call in the experts at Social Security. You can report late, missing, or stolen payments via phone at 800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), or you can find a local Social Security office to contact for help.

The government will make it right if they didn't send you your check. The Social Security Administration promises, "We will review the case, and if the payment is due, we will replace it."

At what age do you get 100% of your Social Security?

Now you know when checks come, but there's actually a bigger question to answer if you aren't getting Social Security yet: When should you start your checks for the first time? That question is extremely important since Social Security benefits last for life and are protected against inflation. You want to make the most of them!

You can claim benefits as soon as you turn 62, but if you do, you're going to get stuck with smaller checks — much smaller ones — since early filing penalties apply each month you claim benefits ahead of your full retirement age.

So, what is your full retirement age? That depends on your birth year, but if you were born in 1960 or later, it's 67.

If you know when your parents or grandparents got their benefits, that sounds late — and it is. When Social Security started, everyone's full retirement age was 65. However, in the 1980s, lawmakers pushed FRA back to fix funding shortfalls and phased in the change over time to avoid upsetting their voters.

Thanks to that move, you now have to wait longer to avoid a benefit cut that could be as high as 30% if you claim Social Security at 62 when your FRA is 67.

Not to be the bearer of more bad news, but unfortunately, even if you wait until 67, you won't maximize Social Security benefits as you can earn delayed retirement credits until 70 for each month you wait after FRA. Those increase your standard benefit by 8% annually. And, studies have shown that waiting to claim until 70 is the right move for around 90% of current workers.

I know I'll personally be waiting, and I'm aiming to save enough in my retirement account to make it possible to put off my benefits claim without having to actually work until 70. Waiting as long as you can to start your checks may also be right for you if:

• You're in good health
• You're in poor health but were the higher earner and want to maximize survivor benefits for your spouse
• You want to maximize your odds of getting the most lifetime Social Security benefits
• You want larger checks later in your retirement

Odds are you won't actually work until 70, so you'll need a plan for your savings to support you if you're trying to put off your benefit claim. But it's worth doing if possible, as that same study mentioned above said claiming Social Security before 70 costs the median household a shocking $182,370 in discretionary spending. That's a whole lot of cash to pass up.

FAQs

Bottom line

Now you know the Social Security deposit schedule as well as the optimum age to claim your benefits for the first time. Making the most of your Social Security makes good sense, so think carefully about when you should start payments if you haven't already.

It's also worth remembering that benefits only replace around 40% of your income, so planning additional retirement savings to supplement Social Security could be the key to your happiness as a retiree.

Reach Your Savings Goals Faster

5.0

FinanceBuzz writers and editors score products and companies on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence our ratings.

AWARD WINNER Best Online Checking

SoFi Checking and Savings Benefits

• Limited-Time Offer: Earn a $50 or $300 bonus with eligible direct deposit and up to 4.00% APY on Savings (3.30% APY¹ <p>New and existing Checking and Savings members who have not previously enrolled in Direct Deposit with SoFi are eligible to earn a cash bonus of either $50 (with at least $1,000 total Eligible Direct Deposits received during the Direct Deposit Bonus Period) OR $300 (with at least $5,000 total Eligible Direct Deposits received during the Direct Deposit Bonus Period). Cash bonus will be based on the total amount of Eligible Direct Deposit. If you have satisfied the Eligible Direct Deposit requirements but have not received a cash bonus in your Checking account, please contact us at 855-456-7634 with the details of your Eligible Direct Deposit. Direct Deposit Promotion begins on 12/7/2023 and will be available through 12/31/2026. Full terms at <a href="https://www.sofi.com/banking/">sofi.com/banking</a>. SoFi Checking and Savings is offered through SoFi Bank, N.A., Member FDIC.</p><p>SoFi members with Eligible Direct Deposit can earn 3.30% annual percentage yield (APY) on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. There is no minimum Eligible Direct Deposit amount required to qualify for the 3.30% APY for savings (including Vaults). Members without Eligible Direct Deposit will earn 1.00% APY on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. Interest rates are variable and subject to change at any time. These rates are current as of 12/23/25. There is no minimum balance requirement. Fees may reduce earnings. Additional information can be found at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet">http://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet</a>.</p> with +0.70% APY Boost) for up to 6 Months on new accounts. Terms Apply.² <p>Earn up to 4.00% Annual Percentage Yield (APY) on SoFi Savings with a 0.70% APY Boost (added to the 3.30% APY as of 12/23/25) for up to 6 months. Open a new SoFi Checking and Savings account and pay the $10 SoFi Plus subscription every 30 days OR receive eligible direct deposits OR qualifying deposits of $5,000 every 31 days by 3/30/2026. Rates variable, subject to change. Terms apply at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sofi.com/banking/#2">sofi.com/banking#2</a>. SoFi Bank, N.A. Member FDIC.</p>
• No account, overdraft, or monthly fees³ <p>We do not charge any account, service or maintenance fees for SoFi Checking and Savings. We do charge a transaction fee to process each outgoing wire transfer. SoFi does not charge a fee for incoming wire transfers, however the sending bank may charge a fee. Our fee policy is subject to change at any time. See the SoFi Checking & Savings Fee Sheet for details at <a href="http://sofi.com/legal/banking-fees/">sofi.com/legal/banking-fees/</a></p>
• Get your paycheck up to two days early with direct deposit⁴ <p>Early access to direct deposit funds is based on the timing in which we receive notice of impending payment from the Federal Reserve, which is typically up to two days before the scheduled payment date, but may vary.</p>
• Access additional FDIC insurance up to $3 million⁵ <p><b style="font-family: Rubik, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, &quot;Segoe UI&quot;, Roboto, &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, Arial, sans-serif;">SoFi Bank is a member FDIC and does not provide more than $250,000 of FDIC insurance per depositor per legal category of account ownership, as described in the FDIC’s regulations.&nbsp;Any additional FDIC insurance is provided by the SoFi Insured Deposit Program. Deposits may be insured up to $3M through participation in the program. See full terms at&nbsp;<a href="http://sofi.com/banking/fdic/sidpterms">SoFi.com/banking/fdic/sidpterms</a>. See list of participating banks at <a href="http://sofi.com/banking/fdic/participatingbanks">SoFi.com/banking/fdic/participatingbanks</a>.</b></p>

5.0

FinanceBuzz writers and editors score products and companies on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence our ratings.

Open an account with SoFi® here