The Social Security Administration (SSA) has set the amounts and the payout schedule for the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program for the 2026 fiscal year, that goes all the way through December 2026.
The figures come from a Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) of 2.8% applied to federal benefits, including SSI. This adjustment changes the maximum monthly amounts a beneficiary can get, as well as the dates those payments land in people’s accounts.
Maximum SSI Benefits in 2026 After the COLA
The federal maximum amounts for 2026 fall into three categories. For a single eligible individual, the monthly cap is $994. For an eligible couple where both spouses meet the program’s requirements, the combined maximum payment comes to $1,491.
The third category covers what the SSA calls an essential person — someone who lives with an SSI recipient and provides needed care. For that person, the maximum monthly payment is $498.
These numbers are the upper limits before any deductions for extra income, received shelter, or food and housing provided by someone else. The SSA recalculates these caps every year based on changes in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W).
Confirmed Dates for the Next SSI Payments
The SSI payment calendar follows a fixed rule: deposits happen on the first business day of each month. If that day falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or federal holiday, the payment gets moved up to the last business day before that. For the rest of 2026 and the first month of 2027, the dates are as follows:
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For May 2026, the payment lands on Friday, May 1.
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June 2026 has a deposit on Monday, June 1.
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July 2026 falls on Wednesday, July 1.
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For August 2026, the first day of the month is a Saturday; therefore, the payment moves up to Friday, July 31, 2026.
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September 2026 follows the general rule with a deposit on Tuesday, September 1.
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October 2026 lands on Thursday, October 1.
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November 2026 has the first day on a Sunday, so the payment gets made on Friday, October 30, 2026.
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December 2026 falls on Tuesday, December 1.
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Finally, the payment for January 2027 gets moved up to Thursday, December 31, 2026, because January 1 is a holiday
What to Do if Your SSI Deposit Is Delayed?
If the deposited amount does not appear in the account on the scheduled date, the SSA instructs beneficiaries to wait three additional business days before taking further action. This waiting period accounts for possible delays caused by bank processing times or transmission issues between the SSA and financial institutions.
After those three business days have passed without the funds being posted, the recipient should contact the SSA directly through its official toll-free number at 1-800-772-1213, or by TTY at 1-800-325-0778. The agency does not consider a payment late until that three‑day window has closed. No action is required from the beneficiary before that point.
