SSI beneficiaries will enjoy early payment until spring 2026: this is why
The Social Security Administration’s 2026 benefits-distribution calendar features a run of ahead-of-schedule SSI payments.
While many Social Security recipients in the U.S. are enduring a long wait for their benefits this month, beneficiaries of the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program were paid for January before 2026 had even arrived.
This is the first of three consecutive months in which SSI benefits are being issued early.
Why are SSI benefits going out early?
Typically, SSI beneficiaries are paid on the first day of each month. However, if that date coincides with a weekend or a federal holiday, the Social Security Administration (SSA) brings payment forward to the nearest working day.
As New Year’s Day is a federal holiday, January 2026’s SSI benefits were sent out 24 hours ahead of schedule, on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025.
And this early-payment rule also applies to February and March: in each case, benefits are set to go out two days early, as both months begin on a Sunday.
The SSA’s first-of-the-month SSI payment schedule won’t resume until April.
SSI payments in 2026 - schedule in full:
- January: Wednesday, Dec. 31
- February: Friday, Jan. 30
- March: Friday, Feb. 27
- April: Wednesday, Apr. 1
- May: Friday, May 1
- June: Monday, Jun. 1
- July: Wednesday, Jul. 1
- August: Friday, Jul. 31
- September: Tuesday, Sep. 1
- October: Thursday, Oct. 1
- November: Friday, Oct. 30
- December: Tuesday, Dec. 1
You can also take a look at the SSA’s 2026 schedule of SSI payments in this calendar shared by the agency.
Who gets SSI payments in the U.S.?
A benefits scheme with well over seven million beneficiaries nationwide, according to the latest data published by the SSA, SSI is aimed at low-income, low-resource individuals who are over 65 or have a disability.
Unlike Social Security programs such as retirement benefits, survivor checks and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), eligibility for SSI does not depend on payment of Social Security taxes. It is a purely needs-based scheme that is paid for using general tax revenue.
For more information on who qualifies for SSI, take a look at this page on the SSA website.
How much are monthly SSI payments?
As of November 2025 - the SSA’s most recent figures - recipients of SSI got a monthly average of $717.90. However, January’s SSI payment is the first to include a 2.8% rise in the SSA’s monthly benefits.
This increase, which also applies to Social Security retirement, SSDI and survivor pay, was confirmed by the SSA late last year, when the agency announced its annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA).
In 2026, the maximum monthly amount available to an individual on SSI has risen from $967 to $994. Eligible couples can claim a joint monthly payment of up to $1,491 this year, up from $1,450 in 2025.
It should also be noted that some SSI beneficiaries can get a supplementary payment from their state. You’ll find more information on this page on the SSA website.
How does the Social Security Administration send out SSI money?
- Direct deposit
SSI recipients can pick up their monthly benefits by direct deposit, by supplying the SSA with their bank details. To do so, beneficiaries can call 1-800-772-1213.
- Direct Express Card
You can also have benefits loaded onto the Direct Express Card, a special debit card for federal payments made to people who do not have a bank account. Sign up by calling 1-800-333-1795 or visiting the Direct Express website.
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