WASHINGTON (AP) — For millions of Americans who rely on Social Security as a primary source of income, Wednesday, Jan. 28 marks an important date on the calendar. It is the final scheduled Social Security payment day for January, and for many recipients, it is also when higher monthly benefits reflecting the 2026 cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) arrive.
The payment highlights how the Social Security Administration (SSA) distributes benefits, who qualifies for payments on this date, and how recent benefit increases affect retirees, disabled workers and survivors.
Who receives a Social Security payment on Jan. 28
Social Security benefits paid on Jan. 28 go to recipients whose birthdays fall between the 21st and 31st of any month, as long as they began receiving benefits after May 1997.
This payment group includes people receiving:
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Retirement benefits
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Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
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Survivors benefits
If a person receives benefits based on someone else’s work record — such as a spouse, former spouse or parent — the payment date is determined by the primary worker’s birth date, not the recipient’s.
Jan. 28 is the fourth Wednesday of the month, which concludes the SSA’s staggered January payment schedule.
How the SSA payment schedule works
To manage payments for more than 70 million beneficiaries, the SSA uses a birth-date-based system:
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Born on the 1st–10th → Paid the second Wednesday of the month
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Born on the 11th–20th → Paid the third Wednesday of the month
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Born on the 21st–31st → Paid the fourth Wednesday of the month
For January 2026, payments were issued on Jan. 14, Jan. 21 and Jan. 28.
Who follows a different schedule
Not all Social Security recipients are paid on Wednesdays.
Beneficiaries who started receiving Social Security before May 1997 are paid on the 3rd of each month, regardless of birth date. Because Jan. 3 fell on a weekend this year, those payments were sent early on Friday, Jan. 2.
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients follow a separate calendar. SSI is typically paid on the 1st of the month, or the previous business day if the 1st is a weekend or federal holiday.
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January 2026 SSI payments were issued Dec. 31, 2025
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February SSI payments are scheduled for Friday, Jan. 30
Some low-income Americans qualify for both SSI and Social Security, meaning they may receive multiple payments on different dates.
Why payments are higher in 2026
January payments reflect the 2026 cost-of-living adjustment, which increased Social Security and SSI benefits to help offset inflation. The COLA is applied automatically and affects nearly all beneficiaries.
The increase raised monthly checks for:
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Retired workers
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Disabled workers
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Survivors
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SSI recipients
While the percentage increase is the same, the dollar amount varies depending on each person’s benefit level.
How much beneficiaries may receive
Monthly benefit amounts depend on lifetime earnings, work history and the age at which benefits were claimed.
In 2026:
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The average retired worker receives close to $2,000 per month
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Workers who claimed benefits at full retirement age receive 100% of their earned benefit
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Those who delayed claiming until age 70 may receive more than $5,000 per month
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Disabled workers and survivors typically receive lower average amounts
Full retirement age and eligibility rules
Full retirement age (FRA) plays a major role in determining benefit size. For today’s retirees, FRA ranges from 66 and 8 months to 67, depending on year of birth.
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Claiming before FRA results in permanently reduced benefits
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Claiming at FRA provides the full monthly benefit
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Claiming after FRA, up to age 70, increases payments through delayed retirement credits
The SSA encourages workers to consider health, employment and financial needs when deciding when to claim benefits.
How payments are delivered
Nearly all Social Security payments are issued electronically through:
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Direct deposit to a bank or credit union
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The Direct Express debit card
Paper checks are now uncommon and issued only in limited situations.
What to do if a payment is delayed
The SSA advises recipients to wait three business days after the scheduled payment date before reporting a missing payment. Bank processing times and holidays can affect when funds post.
Beneficiaries can:
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Check payment details through a my Social Security account
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Contact their bank or card provider
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Reach out to the SSA if the delay continues
Why Jan. 28 is significant
For retirees and disabled workers living on fixed incomes, timing matters. Social Security payments help cover essential expenses such as housing, food and medical care. The Jan. 28 payment not only closes out January’s benefit schedule but also reflects higher monthly checks that many Americans will rely on throughout the year.
February payments will follow the same birth-date-based system, with the next round of Wednesday payments beginning in mid-February.
