March 2026 is underway with three of the five Social Security beneficiary groups already receiving their payments. The Social Security Administration (known as SSA) distributes payments throughout the month according to a fixed schedule based on each beneficiary’s date of birth, with some exceptions for those receiving Supplemental Security Income or who have been in the system longer.
The first Social Security payment of the month went to SSI recipients. Since March 1st fell on a Sunday, the SSA moved that payment to Friday, February 28th, as it always does when the scheduled date coincides with a weekend or federal holiday.
Two days later, on Tuesday, March 3rd, another specific group received their payment: those who began receiving benefits before May 1997 and those who receive both Social Security and SSI. For this group, the 3rd of each month is the fixed payment date, regardless of the day of the week on which their birthday falls.
Social Security: The Exact Dates Still Left on the Schedule
The third payment of the month arrived on Wednesday, March 11, for retirees and beneficiaries born between the 1st and 10th of any month of the year. This group always receives their payment on the second Wednesday of the month. With this deposit, the first half of March was completed in terms of the payment schedule.
Moving forward, and by today, two more payment dates remain. Those born between the 11th and 20th of the month will receive their payment on Wednesday, March 18, the third Wednesday of the cycle.
And on the fourth Wednesday, March 25, the monthly payment schedule will conclude with the deposit for those born between the 21st and 31st, corresponding to the fourth Wednesday. With these two payments, March will be fully settled for all groups in the program.
The Average Social Security Payment
Regarding the amounts, all benefits this year incorporate the 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment (also known as COLA) approved for 2026, calculated based on the variation in the Consumer Price Index between the third quarter of 2024 and the same period in 2025.
The average monthly payment for a retired worker was $2,074.53 in January of this year, according to SSA records. SSI benefits under the new COLA (Cost-of-Living Adjustment) began to be applied starting with the payment on December 31, 2025, while the adjustment to Social Security checks was reflected starting in January 2026.
