Social Security checks will be paid out to millions of Americans this week. More than 75 million Americans receive some form of Social Security benefits, whether that be retirement, spousal, survivor or disability benefits. Payments are always made monthly in a single lump sum.
However, beneficiaries are not all paid at the same time. The Social Security Administration (SSA) operates a staggered payment schedule, so when a beneficiary receives their payment depends on factors including their date of birth and the type of benefit they receive. This week, payments will be made to Social Security recipients with birthdays between the 1st and 10th of any given month on Wednesday, September 9.
This will be a payment for those receiving retirement, spousal and survivor benefits. It does not cover Supplemental Security Income (SSI), which is always paid toward the beginning of the month. If you receive SSI and another form of benefit, you should have already received your monthly payment on Thursday, September 3.
If you don't yet have your September payment, there are two more dates to come this month: Social Security retirement payments vary according to a worker’s lifetime earnings and the age at which they begin claiming benefits. For 2026, the maximum retirement benefit is $4,152 per month for someone who retires at full retirement age and who earned at least the maximum taxable amount throughout their working career. The maximum is lower, at $2,969 per month, for someone who begins collecting benefits at age 62, while a person who waits until age 70 can receive as much as $5,181 per month.
The full retirement age for people reaching age 62 in 2026 is 67. Most beneficiaries receive substantially less than those maximum amounts. As of July 2026, the average retired worker received $2,085.98 per month.
Across all Social Security beneficiaries, including retirees, survivors and people receiving disability benefits, the average monthly benefit was $1,940.08. Disabled workers received an average of $1,635.27 per month, while non-disabled widows and widowers received an average of $1,932.74. Millions of Social Security beneficiaries will get one of the clearest indications yet of how much their payments could rise in 2027 when new inflation figures are released later this week.
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