Thousands of Social Security beneficiaries in the United States are about to receive a key deposit in February. For some, the payment will exceed $2,000. The date marked on the calendar is Wednesday, February 18, 2026. Here we explain who qualifies and how the official schedule works.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) continues to implement its staggered payment system known as the three-Wednesday cycle. This scheme organizes monthly deposits according to the birthdate of the worker who generated the benefit. Not everyone receives payment on the same day.

Wednesday, February 18, corresponds to the second Wednesday of the month. On that date, those born between the 11th and 20th of any month will receive their money. This applies to retirees, people with disabilities, and survivors.

The complete schedule for the Wednesdays in February is distributed as follows:

The amount that many are eagerly awaiting exceeds $2,000. Since January 2026, the SSA has applied a cost-of-living adjustment of 2.8%.

Thanks to that increase, the average monthly payment for retired workers reached $2,074.53. This group represents more than three-quarters of the 72.5 million total beneficiaries.

Workers with disabilities receive an average of $1,633.48 per month. Survivors receive approximately $1,622.32 per month. For the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program, the average is $737.

SSI works differently. It is a program based strictly on economic need and does not depend on accumulated Social Security taxes. It is generally paid on the first day of each month. However, when that date falls on a weekend, the deposit is made early.

An adjustment occurred in February. Since February 1st was a Sunday, the SSI payment was sent on Friday, January 30th. In addition, the payment for March will also be brought forward to Friday, February 27, since the next month also begins on a Sunday. There are other groups that do not follow the three-Wednesday cycle. People who began receiving benefits before May 1997 usually receive their payment on the 3rd of each month, regardless of their birthday. In February,that payment was made on Tuesday the 3rd. There are also so-called dual beneficiaries. These are about 2.5 million people who receive both SSI and a regular Social Security benefit. In February, they received their SSI payment on January 30th and their regular payment on February 3rd. Regarding the payment method, the SSA notes that “in most cases” it no longer issues paper checks. Beneficiaries can receive their money via direct deposit into a bank account or through the Direct Express card. Those with an account can update their information on the “my Social Security” portal. SSI beneficiaries should call 1-800-772-1213 to make changes.