A final round of October Social Security payments is due to go out this week, with some retired Americans eligible to receive as much as $5,181. The Social Security Administration (SSA) distributes retirement benefits on different days of the month depending largely on a beneficiary's date of birth and when they began receiving benefits. This week, on Wednesday, October 28, beneficiaries born between the 21st and 31st of any month are scheduled to receive their October payment.
The SSA's payment calendar says people born between the 1st and 10th are generally paid on the second Wednesday of the month, while those born between the 11th and 20th receive their benefits on the third Wednesday. Those born from the 21st through the 31st are paid on the fourth Wednesday. Different rules apply to some recipients.
People who started receiving Social Security before May 1997, as well as certain people receiving both Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI), follow a different payment schedule. The amount beneficiaries receive varies and depends on factors including their lifetime earnings and the age at which they begin collecting retirement benefits. The SSA calculates retirement benefits using a person's earnings record, with higher earnings subject to Social Security taxes generally producing higher benefits.
For somebody who earned the maximum taxable amount every year beginning at age 22 and starts collecting benefits in 2026, the SSA gives three examples: That means the $5,181 figure isn’t a standard payment or a maximum that applies to every retiree. It represents an example for a high earner who waited until 70 to begin receiving benefits in 2026. The SSA says a person's payment can be lower if they earned less than the taxable maximum.
Meanwhile, beneficiaries have recently learned how much their payments will increase next year. The SSA announced on October 14 that Social Security and SSI benefits for around 76 million Americans will rise by 3.6 percent in 2027 under the annual Cost-Of-Living Adjustment, known as COLA. The adjustment is based on the increase in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, between the third quarter of 2025 and the third quarter of 2026.
For retired workers, the SSA estimates the average monthly benefit will rise from $2,095 to $2,170, an increase of about $75 a month. The estimated average payment for an aged couple who both receive benefits will increase from $3,238 to $3,355, while the average for disabled workers is projected to rise from $1,642 to $1,701. The COLA will begin with Social Security benefits received in January 2027.
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