Social Security is making payments today, Wednesday, Mar. 18: who receives benefits?
On Wednesday, the Social Security Administration is to issue March 2026’s monthly payments to certain beneficiaries in the U.S.
Across the United States, millions of Social Security beneficiaries are due to get their latest payment.
Today - Wednesday, Mar. 18 - the Social Security Administration (SSA) is scheduled to send out this month’s benefits to a specific group of recipients of Social Security retirement, disability (SSDI) or survivor pay.
This will be the second payment date in the SSA’s three-Wednesdays distribution cycle for March.
This is how the three-Wednesdays payment system:
Of the more than 70 million Americans who claim retirement, SSDI or survivor benefits, the majority are paid on the second, third or fourth Wednesday in each month.
A beneficiary’s designated Wednesday depends on the date of birth of the worker whose Social Security taxes have accumulated the benefits entitlement. If you claim based on your own work record, your date of birth is used. If you claim based on someone’s record - e.g. that of a spouse or parent - the other person’s birthday applies.
Who’s getting their Social Security benefits today, Mar. 18?
As it falls on the third Wednesday in March, today’s payment run covers birthdays between the 11th and 20th of any month. The SSA’s full three-Wednesdays payment cycle for March 2026 is as follows:
- Born on 1st-10th: Wednesday, Mar. 11
- Born on 11th-20th: Wednesday, Mar. 18
- Born on 21st-31st: Wednesday, Mar. 25
Who doesn’t get SSA benefits on a Wednesday in March?
- Certain long-standing Social Security recipients
Beneficiaries who began receiving retirement, SSDI or survivor benefits before May 1997 are normally paid on the third day of each month, no matter their date of birth. In March, this group of recipients was therefore schedueld to get their benefits on Tuesday, Mar. 3.
- SSI beneficiaries
Recipients of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) - a separate SSA benefit for low-income individuals who are over 65 or have a disability - are typically paid on the first of each month, regardless of their date of birth.
However, as March began on a Sunday, this month’s SSI payment was brought forward to the nearest business day before Mar. 1: Friday, Feb. 27.
Unlike the SSA’s Social Security programs, SSI is a purely needs-based scheme that does not depend on a recipient’s Social Security-tax contributions.
- Double beneficiaries
In the U.S., around 2.5 million people receive both SSI and Social Security benefits. For March, these twin beneficiaries were to get the former on Feb. 27, followed by the latter on Mar. 3.
Non-Wednesday benefits in March 2026:
- SSI: Friday, Feb. 27
- Pre-May ’97 Social Sec.: Tuesday, Mar. 3
- Dual recipients: SSI on Feb. 27; Social Sec. on Mar. 3
For the SSA’s complete benefits-payment timeline in 2026, check out this online calendar.
How much money do Social Security and SSI beneficiaries get?
Per the latest stats shared by the SSA, average monthly payments to recipients of Social Security and SSI are:
- Retired workers: $2,076.41
- Disabled workers: $1,633.76
- Survivors: $1,623.28
- SSI beneficiaries: $735.91
How does the Social Security Administration send out benefits?
The agency no longer issues benefits as paper checks; instead, it offers recipients two ways of picking up their monthly payments electronically:
- Direct deposit
By supplying the SSA with their bank details, recipients can have their benefits paid into their account by direct deposit. Social Security recipents can provide their banking information using the online “my Social Security” tool. SSI recipients should call 1-800-772-1213.
- Direct Express Card
Alternatively, benefits can also be paid onto the Direct Express Card, a debit card for federal disbursements sent out to people without a bank account. Sign up for Direct Express at 1-800-333-1795 or on the service’s website.
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