Social Security Payment January 7: The start of 2026 brings an important change for millions of people in the United States who depend on Social Security. The Social Security Administration has started paying benefits with a new Cost of Living Adjustment. This COLA increase is 2.8% and aims to help people handle rising prices. Because of this change, the average retired person will now get about $56 more each month.
Some people already started getting their January payments in the last days of December. This early payment depends on the type of benefit and how long the person has been receiving Social Security. Even with the increase, the SSA continues to follow its fixed payment calendar. The dates depend mainly on a person’s birth date and benefit category.
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No Social Security Payment On January 7
Many people are asking if a Social Security payment will arrive on Wednesday, January 7, 2026. According to the official SSA payment plan, no payment will be sent on that day. This is because Social Security retirement, survivor, and SSDI payments go out only on the second, third, and fourth Wednesdays of each month.
Since January 2026 starts on a Thursday, the second Wednesday falls later in the month. Because of this, there are no regular retirement or disability payments during the first full week of January.
The payments already sent in the first days of the year were handled like this:
- December 31, 2025: SSI payments for January were sent
- January 2, 2026: Payments went to people receiving benefits since before 1997
January 2026 Social Security Payment Dates
If you do not belong to the group that started collecting benefits before 1997, your payment will arrive later in January. The SSA will send payments based strictly on your birth date.
- Wednesday, January 14: People born between the 1st and 10th
- Wednesday, January 21: People born between the 11th and 20th
- Wednesday, January 28: People born between the 21st and 31st
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Social Security does not help only retired people. It also supports survivors, disabled workers, and other eligible groups.
Who receives Social Security benefits?
Social Security benefits are designed to protect a variety of groups of people, not just retirees. By 2026, nearly 75 million Americans will receive these payments, which have increased by 2.8% due to the Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA).
- Retired workers
- People with Disabilities (SSDI)
- Family members of workers (Benefits for Dependents)
- Survivors
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
