The Social Security Administration is set to issue payments for beneficiaries whose birthdays fall between the 1st and 10th of any month on March 11. It does not matter how old the beneficiary is; as long as they started collecting their payments after May 1997, they will fall under the birthday-based system. Millions of Americans, including retirees, survivors, and disabled individuals, rely largely on Social Security benefits to cover their bills.
Beneficiaries who claimed Social Security benefits before May 1997 and those who receive both Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) will not be part of this payment group, as they have already received theirs on March 3.
There are certain factors that decide how much a retiree will receive in Social Security payments. The payments vary based on a worker’s lifetime earnings, the age at which they begin claiming benefits, and the year their payments start being issued.
Here’s something you might not know if you’re not super rich.
Today is the day that people who make $1 million a year stop paying into Social Security.
Working people pay all year, but the rich get a break.
Lift the cap and pull millions of seniors out of poverty.
— Congressman Greg Casar (@RepCasar) March 9, 2026
According to the latest cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), the largest amount that can be credited to beneficiaries is $5,181. However, most workers receive a much lower amount. Only those who worked for at least 35 years, earning the maximum taxable amount, and delayed their Social Security payments until age 70 will receive this maximum benefit.
If that same recipient began claiming benefits at age 62, their monthly payment would drop to about $2,969. As of December, the average retiree receives about $2,071.30 in Social Security payments.
Most payees will receive their benefits via direct deposit. The SSA advises beneficiaries not to panic if their payment does not arrive on the due date. They urge beneficiaries to wait up to three days before logging a complaint with the agency.
WATCH: @Rep_Grijalva introduces the SSI Restoration Act to reduce poverty among SSI recipients by 60 percent.
“It’s time to update Supplemental Security Income to better serve our nation’s lowest income seniors and people with disabilities.” pic.twitter.com/GBd2dZPPtj
— Social Security Works ❌👑 (@SSWorks) March 5, 2026
Although the next COLA is quite some time away, Social Security analysts have already started predicting what beneficiaries can expect in the coming years. According to independent analyst Mary Johnson, there may be a 1.2 percent increase. If proven accurate, it will be the smallest COLA since the 0.3 percent adjustment in 2017.
On the other hand, the Senior Citizens League, a nonpartisan advocacy group, has estimated a 2.8 percent COLA in 2027. The Congressional Budget Office, however, has anticipated a 3.1 percent increase next year and a 2.5 percent adjustment the following year.
The SSA issues payments on Wednesdays each month. The next Social Security payment dates are March 18 and March 25, for individuals whose birthdays fall between the 11th and 20th, and the 21st and 31st, respectively.
