The Social Security Administration is sending out payments today, Feb. 11: who benefits?

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Millions of benefits recipients throughout the U.S. are poised to be issued their February money, as the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) three-Wednesdays payment cycle kicks in.

Today, Feb. 11, the SSA is scheduled to send out payments to a particular group of Americans who receive retirement benefits, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and survivor pay.

A staggered Social Security payment system

Of the just over 70 million people who claim one of the above benefits in the U.S., most are paid on the second, third or fourth Wednesday in each month. A recipient’s designated Wednesday depends on the date of birth of the worker whose Social Security taxes have earned the benefits entitlement.

If you receive benefits based on your own work record, your date of birth is used. If you claim based on the employment history of a family member – such as a spouse or parent – the SSA uses the relative’s birthday.

So who gets Social Security benefits today, Feb. 11?

As today is the first Wednesday in February, the payment date covers birthdays between the first and 10th of any month. Subsequent birthdays will then be catered for over the coming two weeks:

Born on 1st to 10th: Weds., Feb. 11
Born on 11th to 20th: Weds., Feb. 18
Born on 21st to 31st: Weds., Feb. 25

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Who doesn’t get paid in the three-Wednesdays cycle?

Some long-term Social Security recipients

If you began receiving retirement, SSDI or survivor benefits before May 1997, you are typically paid on the third day of each month, regardless of your date of birth. These beneficiaries were therefore due to receive their February money on Tuesday, Feb. 3.

SSI beneficiaries

Recipients of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) are normally paid on the first of the month. However, as Feb. 1 was a Sunday, February’s SSI benefits were distributed on the nearest working day before then: Friday, Jan. 30.

Unlike the SSA’s retirement, SSDI and survivor programs, SSI is a purely needs-based scheme. Aimed at low-income individuals who are over 65 or have a disability, SSI does not require prior payment of Social Security taxes.

Dual recipients (SSI + regular Social Security)

Around 2.5 million people in the U.S. claim both SSI and one of the SSA’s retirement, SSDI or survivor benefits. For February, these twin beneficiaries were to receive the former on Jan. 30, and the latter on Feb. 3.

At a glance – beneficiaries outside the three-Wednesdays cycle:

SSI: Friday, Jan. 30 (Feb. payment)
Pre-May ’97 Social Sec.: Tuesday, Feb. 3
Dual recipients: SSI on Jan. 30; Social Sec. on Feb. 3
SSI: Friday, Feb. 27 (Mar. payment)

You can take a look at the SSA’s 2026 benefits-distribution schedule in full in this online calendar.

How much do Social Security and SSI beneficiaries get each month?

As of January – the first month in which the SSA applied a 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) to its benefits – retired workers got $2,074.53 a month on average, the SSA says. Disabled workers were paid an average of $1,633.48 a month, and beneficiaries of survivor pay received a monthly average of $1,622.32. SSI beneficiaries’ average monthly payments were $737.00.

Recipients of retirement benefits make up the vast majority of SSA beneficiaries in the U.S.: nearly 57 million out of a total of 72.5 million, across Social Security and SSI.

How does the Social Security Administation send out benefits payments?

The SSA says it is “in most cases” no longer offering the option of receiving benefits as a paper check. Instead, the agency provides beneficiaries with two ways of collecting their monthly payments electronically:

Direct deposit

By letting the SSA know their bank details, benefits recipients can get their money by direct deposit.

Recipients of retirement, SSDI and survivor pay can update their account information online using the agency’s “my Social Security” portal. SSI beneficiaries should call 1-800-772-1213, the SSA says.

Direct Express Card

Recipients can also have their benefits paid onto the Direct Express Card, a special debit card for federal disbursements made to people who do not have a bank account. You can sign up for Direct Express at 1-800-333-1795 or by accessing the service’s website.