Social Security Sends Final September Payments Sept. 23; Trust Fund Faces 2032 Shortfall

The Social Security Administration will issue its third and final wave of September benefits on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026, to recipients born between the 21st and the end of their birth month, per the SSA payment calendar. Benefits are paid on Wednesdays based on birthdate: recipients born on the 1st through the 10th are paid the second Wednesday, those born the 11th through the 20th on the third Wednesday, and those born after the 20th on the fourth Wednesday. Recipients who began benefits before May 1997 are paid on the third of the month. The program faces a funding shortfall as soon as 2032. Without congressional action, retirees could see a 28% cut in monthly benefits, research suggests. Supplemental Security Income payments go out on the first business day of each month.