The Social Security Administration, or SSA, follows its own calendar that distributes monthly payments based on each person’s birthday and divides them into three large groups. In October 2025, they distribute payments as follows: those born between the 1st and 10th of the month receive their money on the second Wednesday, October 8, 2025.
At the center of this schedule is the largest group: those whose birthdays fall between the 11th and 20th will receive their deposits on the third Wednesday, October 15, 2025. Then, those whose birthdays fall between the 21st and 31st receive their payments on the fourth Wednesday, October 22, 2025
The Social Security payments ready to go this month
In all cases, the SSA guarantees deposits into accounts within that same day, while the paper checks (for those few exceptions that remain active) could be delayed a few more days. However, banks generally recommend waiting an additional 24 hours for the money to be available in the account, especially at smaller financial institutions or credit unions.
Regarding the maximum benefit amounts established for 2025, the SSA determined that the maximum benefit for an individual retiring at the full retirement age (66 or 67) is $4,018 per month. Conversely, those who retire at age 62 the minimum retirement age will receive a maximum of around $2,831, while those who choose to delay retirement until age 70 can reach a maximum of $5,108 per month.
At the same time, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) beneficiaries receive a different fixed amount, which in 2025 was $967 per month for individuals and $1,450 for couples. These payments are also distributed based on a monthly schedule, although some are advanced when the date coincides with weekends or federal holidays.
The upcoming COLA increase: Will it be delayed?
Now, the month of October not only marks the mid-fall period and a round of payments, but it’s also the period when the SSA announces the annual cost of living adjustment, or COLA. This increase, which takes effect every January, seeks to offset the effect of inflation on the incomes of retirees, disability beneficiaries and SSI recipients.
The calculation depends on the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W), specifically the average for the months of July, August, and September. Traditionally, the SSA reports the exact COLA percentage around October 15, just after the Bureau of Labor Statistics BLS releases September inflation data.
However, the 2025 scenario presents an additional complication: the government shutdown that began in October could delay the release of the BLS figures, which in turn would postpone the official announcement of the 2026 COLA. If the shutdown persists for more than a few days, BLS staff may not be authorized to release the data on the usual schedule.
Even so, the SSA has clarified that a government shutdown does not halt the delivery of Social Security payments, as funding for benefits comes from a separate trust fund that continues to operate even when other agencies suspend activities.
Projected COLA increases for 2026
What could delay is the processing and official communication of the new adjustment, which would create temporary uncertainty among millions of beneficiaries waiting to find out how much their checks will increase in January 2026.
Before the closing date, various independent projections anticipated a 2026 COLA of between 2.5% and 2.8%, with estimates such as that of The Senior Citizens League, which projected 2.7% based on the CPI-W trend during the summer of 2025.
This increase, although more moderate than those recorded after the inflationary peaks of 2022 and 2023, would represent an average increase of between $40 and $60 per month for most retirees. However, the exact calculation will depend on the final index in September, and for now, the final figure is pending official announcement.