The Social Security Administration (SSA) has released the payment schedule for October 2025, outlining when millions of Americans will receive their benefits. According to Newsweek, more than 70 million people rely on monthly Social Security payments, which include retirement, disability, and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). To manage the program’s scale, the SSA staggers payments throughout the month rather than sending them all at once.
Payment Dates For October 2025
Most retirees are paid according to their birthdate, but there are exceptions. People who began collecting retirement, spousal, or survivor benefits before May 1997, or those who also receive SSI, follow a different schedule, per Newsweek.
The SSA will issue October payments on these dates:
- Oct. 1: SSI recipients
- Oct. 3: Social Security benefits for those who also receive SSI
- Oct. 8: Retirement, spousal, and survivor benefits payments for people with birthdays between the 1st and 10th
- Oct. 15: Payments for people with birthdays between the 11th and 20th
- Oct. 27: Payments for people with birthdays between the 21st and 31st
In October, SSI beneficiaries will receive two payments, as the November installment will be issued early since the first of the month falls on a weekend. The SSA notes this does not count as a duplicate payment.
The agency advises beneficiaries to wait at least three business days before contacting the SSA if a payment does not arrive on time. Weekends and federal holidays are not counted as business days.
2026 Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA)
October is also when the SSA announces the annual Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA), which determines how much Social Security payments will increase for the following year.
COLA is calculated using the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W), which measures inflation from July through September based on the spending of working age people. The adjustment is intended to ensure benefits keep up with rising costs, including housing, food, and health care.
According to Newsweek, any changes will take effect in January 2026 for all SSA programs, including retirement, spousal, survivor, and SSI benefits.
The Senior Citizens League projects a 2.7% COLA increase for 2026, although the official rate will be announced by the SSA in October, the outlet reports.
