If you haven’t yet received your Social Security check for January, don’t forget that it comes with a cost of living adjustment of 3.2%.
So far, the Social Security Administration has disbursed two rounds of checks, with two more scheduled for this month.
Keep reading to find out when your Social Security payment for January should arrive and how your payment date is determined. For more, here’s the maximum amount of Social Security money you can receive each month. Also, find out if you’ll need to file your taxes this year.
Here’s the January schedule for when you should receive your Social Security check and/or SSI money:
- Dec. 29: January payments for those who receive SSI.
- Jan. 3: Social Security payments for people who’ve received Social Security since before May 1997.
- Jan. 10: Social Security payments for people with birthdays falling between the first and 10th of any given month.
- Jan. 17: Social Security payments for people with birthdays falling between the 11th and 20th of any given month.
- Jan. 24: Social Security payments for people with birthdays falling between the 21st and 31st of any given month.
The Social Security Administration typically sends out payments on the second, third and fourth Wednesdays of each month. Which day you receive your check depends on your birthday.
- If your birthday falls between the first and 10th of the month, your payment will be sent the second Wednesday of the month.
- If your birthday falls between the 11th and 20th of the month, your payment will be sent the third Wednesday of the month.
- If your birthday falls between the 21st and 31st of the month, your payment will be sent the fourth Wednesday of the month.
Payments for SSI recipients generally arrive on the first of each month, with a few exceptions that we’ll explain below.
If you received Social Security benefits before May 1997, or if you receive both Social Security and SSI, the payment schedule is different. Instead of getting your payments on a Wednesday, you’ll receive your Social Security payment on the third day of each month and your SSI on the first day of each month.
Those payment dates change if the first or third day of the month falls on a weekend or a holiday. For instance, Jan. 1 fell on a holiday, so SSI recipients received their January payments a few days early, on Dec. 29, and their Social Security payments arrived on Jan 3.
If your check doesn’t arrive on the date listed above, the Social Security Administration advises waiting three additional mailing days before reaching out. After that, you can speak with a representative at 800-772-1213. (The SSA notes that wait times are shorter Wednesday through Friday and between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. on weekdays.)
