The Social Security Administration, or SSA, has published its official 2026 payment calendar, and SSI recipients have seven more payment windows between now and the end of the year. Two of those months carry a scheduling exception that will move money into accounts earlier than expected — and missing that detail can disrupt household budgets.
The federal benefit rate for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) took effect on January 1, 2026, after a 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment tied to changes in the Consumer Price Index (CPI-W) between the third quarters of 2024 and 2025. The maximum monthly payment is now $994 for an eligible individual and $1,491 for an eligible couple — increases of $27 and $41 respectively over 2025 levels.
Those are federal baseline figures. Some states add a supplemental payment on top, which raises the effective monthly total. States including California, New York, and Massachusetts administer their own supplements, so actual deposits in those states will exceed the federal maximum.
June Through December: The Full SSI Schedule
SSI payments arrive on the first of each month. When that date falls on a weekend or federal holiday, the SSA sends payment on the last business day before. Here is every remaining payment date for 2026:
- June 1: Monday, standard deposit.
- July 1: Wednesday, standard deposit.
- August: paid on July 31 (because August 1 falls on a Saturday, the deposit moves to Friday, July 31).
- September 1: Tuesday, standard deposit.
- October 1: Thursday, standard deposit.
- November: paid on October 30 (because November 1 falls on a Sunday, the deposit moves to Friday, October 30).
- December 1: Tuesday, standard deposit.
The July and October shifts are worth marking on a calendar. Recipients will see an SSI deposit arrive in late July that technically covers August, and another in late October covering November. Anyone who budgets monthly will want to account for those early arrivals to avoid spending next month’s funds.
If You Also Receive Social Security Retirement or SSDI
Concurrent recipients — those collecting both SSI and a Social Security retirement or SSDI benefit — receive two separate payments each month on different dates. SSI arrives on the first (or the adjusted date), while the retirement or disability payment follows a Wednesday schedule determined by birth date. Those two payments are independent and will not be combined into one deposit.
Who Qualifies and What Reduces the Payment
SSI is a need-based federal program. To receive the full $994, a recipient must have no countable income. Earned income reduces the benefit at a rate of roughly $1 for every $2 earned above the first $65. Unearned income — pensions, other benefits, rental income — reduces it nearly dollar for dollar. Countable resources cannot exceed $2,000 for individuals or $3,000 for couples.
Payments are not taxable at the federal level, as the SSA confirmed in its current benefit guidelines.
