Some U.S. benefits recipients are getting paid early for months: find out who and why
The Social Security Administration’s 2026 benefits calendar features a string of ahead-of-schedule payments.
While many in the U.S. face a long wait to get their January 2026 benefits from the Social Security Administration (SSA), recipients of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) were paid this month’s money before the new year had even arrived.
What’s more, January is the first of three straight months in which the SSA is sending out SSI benefits early.
Why is the SSA sending out SSI benefits ahead of schedule?
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 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 - complete SSA schedule:
- Jan.: Wednesday, Dec. 31
- Feb.: Friday, Jan. 30
- Mar.: Friday, Feb. 27
- Apr.: Wednesday, Apr. 1
- May: Friday, May 1
- Jun.: Monday, Jun. 1
- Jul.: Wednesday, Jul. 1
- Aug.: Friday, Jul. 31
- Sep.: Tuesday, Sep. 1
- Oct.: Thursday, Oct. 1
- Nov.: Friday, Oct. 30
- Dec.: Tuesday, Dec. 1
You can also check out the 2026 schedule of SSI payments in this calendar shared by the SSA.
Who gets SSI payments in the U.S.?
A benefits program with nearly 7.5 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 is paid to SSI recipients?
As of November 2025 - the SSA’s most recent figures - SSI beneficiaries received 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 an additional monthly payment from their state. For more information on this supplement, take a look at this page on the SSA website.
How does the Social Security Administration make SSI payments?
- Direct deposit
SSI recipients can receive their benefits by direct deposit, by supplying the SSA with their bank details. To do so, beneficiaries can call 1-800-772-1213.
- Direct Express
SSI benefits can also be loaded onto the Direct Express Card, a special debit card for federal payments made to people without a bank account. Sign up by calling 1-800-333-1795 or visiting the Direct Express website.
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