{"id":423453,"date":"2026-01-22T19:12:12","date_gmt":"2026-01-22T19:12:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/423453\/"},"modified":"2026-01-22T19:12:12","modified_gmt":"2026-01-22T19:12:12","slug":"social-security-benefits-are-going-out-on-wednesday-jan-28-this-is-whos-receiving-a-payment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/423453\/","title":{"rendered":"Social Security benefits are going out on Wednesday, Jan. 28: this is who\u2019s receiving a payment"},"content":{"rendered":"

As the Social Security<\/a> Administration (SSA) nears the end of this month\u2019s payment schedule, benefits recipients across the U.S. are to get their January money in the middle of next week.<\/p>\n

On Wednesday, Jan. 28, the SSA is to issue payments to certain recipients of retirement benefits, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and survivor pay.<\/p>\n

Social Security sends out staggered monthly payments<\/p>\n

Of the 70.5 million Americans who get one of these benefits, most are paid on the second, third or fourth Wednesday in each month. A recipient\u2019s designated Wednesday depends on the date of birth of the worker whose Social Security taxes have earned the entitlement. <\/p>\n

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\u2019s birthday.<\/p>\n

So who receives a Social Security payment on Jan. 28?<\/p>\n

Jan. 28 is the fourth Wednesday in January, so next week\u2019s distribution date covers birthdays between the 21st and 31st of any month. This is the final payment run in the SSA\u2019s three-Wednesdays cycle:<\/p>\n

Born on 1st-10th: Weds., Jan. 14Born on 11th-20th: Weds., Jan. 21Born on 21st-31st: Weds., Jan. 28Long wait for January benefits<\/p>\n

Because New Year\u2019s Day 2026 was a Thursday, January\u2019s Wednesday payments come at their latest possible<\/a> points in the month.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Who isn\u2019t paid in the SSA\u2019s three-Wednesdays cycle? Some long-term Social Security recipients<\/p>\n

If you started claiming 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.<\/p>\n

However, as Jan. 3 was a Saturday, these beneficiaries were instead scheduled to receive their January pay on the earliest working day before then: Friday, Jan. 2<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Recipients of Supplemental Security Income<\/a> (SSI) are normally paid on the first of the month – but New Year\u2019s Day is a federal holiday, so January\u2019s SSI benefits went out a day early, on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025<\/a>. <\/p>\n

In the final payment on the SSA\u2019s schedule for January, February\u2019s SSI will also arrive ahead of schedule<\/a>. Next month begins on a weekend day, so recipients will instead be paid for February on Friday, Jan. 30.<\/p>\n

Unlike the SSA\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

Dual recipients (SSI + regular Social Security)<\/p>\n

Some 2.5 million Americans claim SSI and one of the SSA\u2019s retirement, SSDI or survivor benefits. For January, these dual recipients were to be paid the former on Dec. 31, and the latter on Jan. 2.<\/p>\n

Recipients outside the three-Wednesday\u2019s cycle – at a glance:SSI: Wednesday, Dec. 31 (Jan. payment)Pre-May \u201997 Social Sec.: Friday, Jan. 2Dual recipients: SSI on Dec. 31; Social Sec. on Jan. 2SSI: Friday, Jan. 30 (Feb. payment)<\/p>\n

You can check out the SSA\u2019s 2026 benefits-distribution schedule in full in this online calendar<\/a>.<\/p>\n

How much money do Social Security and SSI recipients get?<\/p>\n

As of December 2025 – the most recent figures shared by the SSA<\/a> – retired workers got $2,071.30 a month on average. Disabled workers were paid an average of $1,633.19 a month, and recipients of survivor benefits were issued a monthly average of $1,620.95. SSI recipients\u2019 average monthly pay was $714.53.<\/p>\n

However, the SSA confirmed last fall<\/a> that its beneficiaries are getting a 2.8% pay rise in 2026, starting with January\u2019s benefits. This comes as part of the agency\u2019s annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA).<\/p>\n

How does Social Security send out benefits?<\/p>\n

The SSA says<\/a> it is \u201cin most cases\u201d no longer offering recipients the option of getting their benefits in paper-check form. Instead, the agency provides beneficiaries with two ways of picking up payments electronically:<\/p>\n

By supplying the SSA with their bank details, recipients can get their benefits by direct deposit. <\/p>\n

Beneficiaries of retirement, SSDI and survivor pay can update their account information online using the agency\u2019s \u201cmy Social Security<\/a>\u201d portal. SSI recipients should call 1-800-772-1213, the SSA says.<\/p>\n

Recipients can also have their money loaded onto the Direct Express Card<\/a>, a special debit card for federal disbursements made to people without a bank account. To sign up for Direct Express, you can call 1-800-333-1795 or visit the service\u2019s website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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