Social Security recipients in Wisconsin will see a slight bump in their January 2026 checks, thanks to the agency’s annual cost-of-living adjustment.
The 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment kicks in this month for both Social Security and Supplemental Security Income recipients — though SSI beneficiaries will see a later payment in January, thanks to a holiday scheduling quirk.
More than 1.3 million people in Wisconsin receive Social Security benefits, and about another 100,000 people are on the SSI program, which supports those with low incomes, particularly disabled adults and seniors.
Here what’s to know about 2026 payment dates for Social Security and SSI:
When do Social Security payments go out in 2026?
Social Security payments are distributed on a certain Wednesday each month depending on the recipient’s birthday.
Here are the payment guidelines:
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Recipients with birth dates between the 1st and 10th get their benefits on the second Wednesday of the month.
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Recipients with birth dates between the 11th and 20th get their benefits on the third Wednesday of the month.
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Recipients with birth dates between the 21st and 31st get their benefits on the fourth Wednesday of the month.
For January, the payment dates are as follows:
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Wednesday, Jan. 14: Recipients with birth dates between the 1st and 10th
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Wednesday, Jan. 21: Recipients with birth dates between the 11th and 20th
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Wednesday, Jan. 28: Recipients with birth dates between the 21st and 31st
See the agency’s 2026 schedule for a complete list of next year’s payment dates.
When do SSI payments go out in 2026?
SSI payments are issued issued on the first of the month, unless that falls on a weekend or federal holiday.
Since Jan. 1 was New Year’s Day, SSI beneficiaries received their first 2026 payment on Dec. 31, 2025. Due to the early payment, SSI recipients will get their February payment in January and March payment in February, before the schedule returns to normal in April.
Here are all the SSI payment dates for 2026:
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Friday, Jan. 30, 2026
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Friday, Feb. 27, 2026
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Wednesday, April 1, 2026
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Friday, May 1, 2026
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Monday, June 1, 2026
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Wednesday, July 1, 2026
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Friday, July 31, 2026
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Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026
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Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026
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Friday, Oct. 30, 2026
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Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2026
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Thursday, Dec. 31. 2026
What is the Social Security COLA for 2026?
Social Security and SSI recipients both saw their payments increase by 2.8% in the new year, per the agency’s annual cost-of-living adjustment. That amounts to, on average, a $56 monthly increase in retirement benefits.
The adjustment is higher than the 2025 increase of 2.5%, but it falls below the average Social Security cost-of-living adjustment of 3.1% over the past decade. It’s also below the annual inflation rate of 3%, and rising Medicare premiums next year are likely to offset the increase for many seniors, USA TODAY reported.
Find more information here about changes coming to Social Security benefits in 2026.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: When do Social Security payments go out in January 2026?
