Social Security September 16 payment: Who gets paid today, and 2027 COLA forecast

Social Security beneficiaries will receive their payments on September 16, 2026, according to the Social Security Administration (SSA). Those born between the 11th and 20th of the month fall into this category. Payments are distributed on different Wednesdays throughout the month based on birth dates, but some recipients follow a different schedule depending on when they started receiving benefits or if they also receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI).

Those who received Social Security before May 1997 and individuals receiving both Social Security and SSI will get their payments on September 3. Beneficiaries born between the 1st and 10th of the month receive their payments on September 9. Those born between the 21st and 31st get their payments on September 23. If a payment is not received as expected, the SSA advises checking with the financial institution first and waiting an additional three mailing days before reporting a missing payment.

The 2027 Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) is projected to be around 3.5% to 3.6%. The official adjustment is expected to be announced on October 14, 2026. The final COLA is determined using the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W), which compares the average CPI-W for July, August, and September of the upcoming year to the same period in the previous year. This figure will dictate the increase in Social Security and SSI payments for 2027.