Social Security Payment Schedule 2027: Dates by Birthday, Month by Month
Most people who started Social Security in or after May 1997 are paid on the second, third or fourth Wednesday of the month, set by the birthday of the person whose work record the benefit is based on. People who started earlier, and people who also get SSI, are paid on the 3rd. SSI is paid on the 1st. The 2027 dates are in the calendar below.
Table of Contents
Which Day You Get Paid
| You are paid on | If |
|---|---|
| 2nd Wednesday | Born on the 1st to 10th of the month |
| 3rd Wednesday | Born on the 11th to 20th |
| 4th Wednesday | Born on the 21st to 31st |
| The 3rd of the month | Started benefits before May 1997, or also get SSI, or have income deemed to an SSI recipient, or live abroad, or a state pays your Medicare premium |
The birthday that counts is the worker's. A spouse or survivor is paid by the birth date on the record the benefit comes from. Each Social Security payment covers the month before: the payment you get in March is for February. SSI is paid for the current month.
2027 Payment Calendar
| Month | SSI (1st) | The 3rd group | Birthdays 1 to 10 | Birthdays 11 to 20 | Birthdays 21 to 31 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Thu Dec 31, 2026 | Thu Dec 31, 2026 | Wed Jan 13 | Wed Jan 20 | Wed Jan 27 |
| February | Mon Feb 1 | Wed Feb 3 | Wed Feb 10 | Wed Feb 17 | Wed Feb 24 |
| March | Mon Mar 1 | Wed Mar 3 | Wed Mar 10 | Wed Mar 17 | Wed Mar 24 |
| April | Thu Apr 1 | Fri Apr 2 | Wed Apr 14 | Wed Apr 21 | Wed Apr 28 |
| May | Fri Apr 30 | Mon May 3 | Wed May 12 | Wed May 19 | Wed May 26 |
| June | Tue Jun 1 | Thu Jun 3 | Wed Jun 9 | Wed Jun 16 | Wed Jun 23 |
| July | Thu Jul 1 | Fri Jul 2 | Wed Jul 14 | Wed Jul 21 | Wed Jul 28 |
| August | Fri Jul 30 | Tue Aug 3 | Wed Aug 11 | Wed Aug 18 | Wed Aug 25 |
| September | Wed Sep 1 | Fri Sep 3 | Wed Sep 8 | Wed Sep 15 | Wed Sep 22 |
| October | Fri Oct 1 | Fri Oct 1 | Wed Oct 13 | Wed Oct 20 | Wed Oct 27 |
| November | Mon Nov 1 | Wed Nov 3 | Wed Nov 10 | Wed Nov 17 | Wed Nov 24 |
| December | Wed Dec 1 | Fri Dec 3 | Wed Dec 8 | Wed Dec 15 | Wed Dec 22 |
We worked out these dates from the rules above and the 2027 federal holiday dates, then compared every 2027 date with SSA's published schedule (Publication No. 05-10031), and they match. No 2027 Wednesday is a federal holiday, so the Wednesday dates are the plain second, third and fourth Wednesdays. The January row for SSI and the 3rd group falls in December 2026 because January 3 is a Sunday and January 1 is a holiday; SSA's 2027 sheet starts with January, so that one date is on SSA's 2026 sheet instead. SSA's own schedule is the final word.
When a Date Falls on a Holiday
If the scheduled day is a weekend or legal holiday, SSA pays on the last business day before it. SSI works the same way. In 2027 that moves SSI for May to Friday, April 30, SSI for August to Friday, July 30, and January's SSI and 3rd-of-month payments to Thursday, December 31, 2026. The 3rd-of-month payments for April, July and October move to Friday the 2nd, Friday the 2nd and Friday, October 1. An early payment is that month's payment, not an extra one.
Sources & Methodology
- Birthday-to-Wednesday rule and the groups kept on the 3rd: SSA, "Cycling Payment of Social Security Benefits," 62 Fed. Reg. 6114 (Feb. 11, 1997), effective May 1, 1997. Retrieved Nov. 4, 2026.
- 3rd-of-month delivery, Title XVI payments on the 1st, and the preceding-business-day holiday rule: SSA POMS GN 02406.117. Retrieved Nov. 4, 2026.
- 2027 payment schedule: SSA, Schedule of Social Security Benefit Payments 2027 (Publication No. 05-10031). Retrieved Nov. 4, 2026.
- 2027 federal holidays: U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Federal Holidays. Retrieved Nov. 4, 2026.
FAQ
What day does Social Security pay if I was born on the 15th?
The third Wednesday of the month, unless you started benefits before May 1997 or also get SSI, in which case it is the 3rd.
When is the first 2027 Social Security payment?
For the 3rd-of-month group and SSI it is Thursday, December 31, 2026. For Wednesday groups it is January 13, 20 or 27, 2027, by birthday.
Why did I get paid early?
The scheduled day was a weekend or holiday, so SSA paid on the business day before. It is not an extra payment. See our SSI guide for SSI dates.
How much will the check be?
Your January 2027 check includes the cost-of-living raise. See the 2027 COLA page.
General information, not financial advice.
