Social Security payments are set to be made to millions of beneficiaries this week.

Why It Matters

The Social Security Administration (SSA) pays out retirement, survivor and disability benefits to more than 70 million Americans. Retirement, spousal and survivor checks are distributed on different dates throughout the month, usually dependent on the recipient’s birthday and whether they collect multiple types of payment.

What To Know

This week, payments are scheduled to be made to those who receive retirement, survivor and spousal benefits as well as disability payments.

On July 1, those who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits—for those who are blind or disabled with limited income and resources—are expected to receive their monthly payment on July 1.

Recipients collecting both retirement, spousal or survivor benefits and SSI who began receiving benefits before May 1997 are scheduled to be paid SSI on July 1 and their other benefits on July 3.

How Much Social Security Can I Get?

In May 2025, the average monthly benefit for a retired worker reached $2,002.39—the first time it has exceeded $2,000, according to the SSA.

“The average Social Security benefit amount changes monthly,” an agency spokesperson told Newsweek. “Social Security benefits are based on a worker’s highest 35 years of earnings. As wages tend to rise over time, each new group of retirees raises the average benefit amount, since their benefit calculations typically reflect higher earnings.”

Individual payments vary, however, as benefits are based on how much a recipient earns during their career and the age at which they decide to begin collecting.

The highest benefit possible—$5,108—is available for those who delay claiming until age 70.

SSI payments averaged $718.30 for 7.4 million recipients in May. How much beneficiaries get is based on how much money they earn, if any at all, and other resources available to them.

Benefits Increase for 2026

The cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) is a mechanism intended to help benefits keep pace with inflation and preserve their value over time, and it usually means the benefit amount increases from year to year.

The COLA is determined using the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W), which tracks the spending patterns of working Americans. The Bureau of Labor Statistics gathers this information through a quarterly survey that monitors price shifts across about 80,000 goods and services. These data points are then compiled into an index that reflects percentage changes over time.

In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, rising inflation has resulted in higher-than-normal benefit increases. In 2024, the COLA raised payments by 3.2 percent, while 2023 saw a historic 8.7 percent increase—driven by pandemic-related inflation.

Looking ahead to 2026, recipients can likely expect a 2.5 percent COLA, according to new estimates from independent Social Security and Medicare policy analyst Mary Johnson and the Senior Citizens League—mirroring the adjustment made for 2025.

The SSA is set to officially announce the 2026 COLA in October.

Full Schedule of Payments for July 2025

In July, further benefits are scheduled to be paid on the following dates:

• Wednesday, July 9: Retirement, spousal and survivor benefits for those born between the 1st and 10th of any calendar month
• Wednesday, July 16: Benefits for those born between the 11th and 20th
• Wednesday, July 23: Benefits for those born between the 21st and 31st