Social Security September 2026 payments: Check SSI dates, benefit amounts and 2027 COLA forecast
Millions of Americans will receive Social Security-related payments this week, with two groups of beneficiaries scheduled to get their money, according to the Social Security Administration (SSA). More than 75 million Americans received Social Security, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), or both in July, the SSA’s latest monthly data showed.
SSI recipients are scheduled to receive their September payment on Tuesday, September 1, according to the SSA’s 2026 payment calendar. A second group will receive payments on Thursday, September 3. This includes people who started receiving Social Security benefits before May 1997, according to the SSA payment schedule. People who receive both Social Security and SSI will also have a payment on September 3 for their Social Security benefit. Their SSI payment will be sent separately on September 1.
When other Social Security payments are coming
Beneficiaries who are not part of the first two groups will receive their September Social Security payments later in the month, based on their birthdays. People whose birthdays fall between September 1 and September 10 are scheduled to receive their payment on Wednesday, September 9.
Also read: Stock market warning: S&P 500 faces correction risk as inflation stays high and Fed rate hikes loom
Those with birthdays between September 11 and September 20 are scheduled to receive their payment on Wednesday, September 16. Beneficiaries with birthdays between September 21 and September 31 are scheduled to receive their payment on Wednesday, September 23.
How much Social Security can people get?
Social Security payments are different for every person. The amount mainly depends on a worker’s earnings history and the age at which they start claiming benefits. In 2026, the maximum monthly retirement benefit at full retirement age is $4,152, according to the SSA.
A person who starts claiming Social Security at age 62 can receive a maximum of $2,969 per month. Someone who waits until age 70 can receive a maximum monthly retirement benefit of $5,181. Most retirees do not receive the maximum amount.
The SSA’s July 2026 data showed that the average retired worker received $2,085.98 per month. Looking at all Social Security beneficiaries — including retirees, spouses, survivors and disabled beneficiaries — the average monthly payment was $1,940.08 in July, according to the SSA.
How retirement benefits are calculated
Social Security retirement benefits are mainly based on a person’s earnings during their working life. The SSA adjusts a worker’s past earnings to account for changes in wages over time. It then uses the worker’s 35 highest-earning years to calculate their average earnings for the benefit calculation.
That figure is then put through the Social Security benefit formula to determine the person’s basic monthly benefit. Claiming Social Security before full retirement age reduces the monthly payment. On the other hand, people who delay claiming benefits beyond full retirement age can receive larger monthly payments, with the increase continuing until age 70.
SSI payments work differently
SSI is different from regular Social Security retirement benefits. SSI is a needs-based program and is not mainly calculated from a person’s work history. The maximum federal SSI payment in 2026 is $994 per month for an individual, according to the SSA.
An eligible couple can receive up to $1,491 per month in federal SSI benefits. However, many SSI recipients receive less than the maximum amount. Their payments can be reduced depending on factors such as income and living arrangements.
Also read: Stock market outlook: S&P 500, Fed rate hike odds and jobs report to watch next week
Social Security COLA increase coming
Persistent inflation in 2026 could result in a larger Social Security cost-of-living adjustment next year. The Senior Citizens League (TSCL), a nonpartisan advocacy group for older Americans, currently projects a 3.6% increase for 2027, while AARP has a slightly lower estimate of 3.5%. Both projections are above the 2.8% COLA that beneficiaries received this year.
The annual COLA is intended to protect Social Security payments from being eroded by rising prices. It is based on the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, or CPI-W, with the calculation relying on inflation readings from July, August and September.
July’s data already points to continued price pressures. The CPI-W was 3.4% higher in July 2026 than it was a year earlier, according to data cited in the report. If inflation remains elevated through the rest of the third quarter, it could push the final 2027 adjustment above this year’s increase.
For retirees, a higher COLA would translate into a larger monthly Social Security payment. But the increase is not necessarily good news on its own: a bigger adjustment also signals that everyday expenses have risen enough to require a larger benefit just to maintain purchasing power.
