Social Security Payment Schedule for October 2026

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September 24, 2026
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Millions of Social Security recipients in the United States will receive their monthly payment in October. However, the timing of these payments varies. More than 70 million Americans receive Social Security payment types such as retirement, spousal, survivor, or disability benefits. Due to the large number of recipients, not everyone gets paid on the same date. The Social Security Administration (SSA) distributes payments throughout the month based on several factors, including benefit type, duration of benefit claims, and, typically, the recipient’s birthday.

As of July, the average Social Security retirement payment stands at $2,031.74. For those receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI), the average is $736.54. Here is the payment schedule for October 2026:

October 2026 Payment Dates

October 1: Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefit payments.
October 2: Social Security payments for retired workers, spouses, and survivors who started receiving benefits before May 1997, or those who receive both Social Security and SSI.
October 14: Payments for recipients whose birthdays fall between the 1st and 10th of any month.
October 21: Payments for recipients whose birthdays are between the 11th and 20th.
October 28: Payments for recipients whose birthdays are between the 21st and 31st.

Additional SSI Payment

SSI benefits are provided to individuals 65 or older with low or no income, or those under 65 with a permanent physical or mental disability. In October, SSI recipients will receive an extra payment. Usually, SSI benefits are disbursed on the first of each month. But due to November 1 being a Sunday, SSI beneficiaries will get their November payment early, on October 30.

“We do this to avoid putting you at a financial disadvantage and ensure you don’t have to wait beyond the first of the month to get your payment,” the SSA mentioned in a 2022 blog post. “This does not imply you’re getting a duplicate payment,” the statement continues, emphasizing there’s no need to contact SSA about the second payment.

Recipients will also learn about the annual payment increase, known as the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for 2027, on October 14.

COLA Increase

The annual COLA aims to maintain beneficiaries’ purchasing power amid rising prices. This adjustment applies to all Social Security benefits, including retirement, survivor, disability payments, and SSI. In 2026, the COLA was 2.8%.

The SSA calculates COLA using the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W), an inflation measure from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The SSA compares the average CPI-W for July, August, and September to the previous year’s same period. The resulting percentage change, rounded to the nearest tenth, becomes the COLA for the next year.

Current projections suggest beneficiaries may see an increase between 3.4% and 3.6% in 2027. The Senior Citizens League estimates a 3.5% COLA, slightly lower than the earlier 3.6% prediction. AARP forecasts 3.6%, which would add approximately $75 to the average retired worker’s benefit monthly. However, the final figure may change based on September’s inflation data.

The official COLA for 2027 will be revealed on October 14, 2026, after the BLS releases September’s inflation figures at 8:30 a.m. ET. These details are crucial for the final calculation. The updated COLA will then affect Social Security payments beginning January 2027.