Millions of Americans are set to receive Social Security payments this week.
Why It Matters
Over 70 million people in the U.S. rely on Social Security for essential income, including retirement, disability, and survivor benefits. The program is funded by taxes that American workers pay throughout their careers, and benefits can be claimed later in life—from age 62 for retirement benefits.
Because Social Security serves such a large population, the Social Security Administration (SSA) staggers payments throughout the month rather than issuing them all at once.
What To Know
This week, payments will be made on Wednesday, February 11, to all recipients who have a birthday between the 1st and 10th of any given month.
Further payments will be made on the following dates in February:
- Wednesday, February 18: Payments for birthdays between the 11th and 20th
- Wednesday, February 25: Payments for birthdays between the 21st and 31st
- Friday, February 27: Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments for March.
If a payment does not arrive as expected, beneficiaries should allow up to three business days before contacting the SSA.
How Much Is Social Security?
Retirement benefits depend on lifetime earnings, the age a person begins claiming, and the year benefits start—so amounts can vary widely. Eligibility begins after earning at least 40 Social Security credits, with a maximum of four credits earned per year, meaning most workers qualify after roughly 10 years of employment.
For example, someone who earned the taxable maximum every year from age 22 and starts claiming in 2026 would receive:
- $4,152 per month at full retirement age
- $2,969 per month if claiming early at 62
- $5,181 per month if waiting until age 70
In reality, most retirees receive less than these top amounts. As of December 2025, the average monthly benefit for a retired worker was $2,071.30.
Early Predictions for 2027
Social Security benefits increase every year with the Cost of Living Adjustment, or COLA, which boosts benefits in line with inflation.
Every year, the COLA is based on the average CPI-W in the third quarter of the current year and the average CPI-W in the same period of the previous year. If there’s an increase, that percentage is rounded to the nearest tenth of 1 percent, and that becomes the new COLA.
While the benefit boost is not announced until later in the year—usually October—The Senior Citizens League, which regularly tracks and predicts the potential COLA rate, has given an early estimate that the 2027 COLA will be 2.5 percent. That is 0.3 percentage point fewerthan the 2026 boost of 2.8 percent.
