Millions of Americans who rely on Social Security faced new worries as the federal government slipped into another partial shutdown. After days of rumors that benefit checks might be held up, the agency answered with a six word message that read “Your payments will not be impacted.”
In a blog post published on February 2, Social Security Administration told its nearly 75 million beneficiaries that they “will still receive your payments on time” even while much of Washington is operating under shutdown rules.
The statement covers regular Social Security retirement and disability benefits as well as Supplemental Security Income, easing fears for people who count on that money for rent, groceries, and the electric bill.
What Social Security said during the shutdown
The agency made clear that payments to everyone who already receives Social Security or Supplemental Security Income will continue with no change in dates.
Your monthly deposit should arrive as it did before the shutdown, whether through direct deposit or paper check, so the benefit side of the program is largely running as usual.
The update is especially important during this second shutdown since November, when many families are already stretched thin. When your entire budget depends on a predictable deposit, even a hint of delay can feel alarming.
Reduced services at local offices
While the money keeps flowing, some front desk services are temporarily scaled back. The agency said local offices will provide “reduced services” during the shutdown, which means staff cannot issue proof of benefits letters or update and correct earnings records in person.
These routine services should resume when the federal government returns to normal operations. In the meantime people can still apply for benefits, file appeals, report a death, change an address or direct deposit, or get help with a lost payment, and some of those tasks can also be completed online through a my Social Security account.
February 2026 payment dates
For beneficiaries worried about the next deposit, the payment calendar has not changed. In February 2026 people with birthdays from the first through the tenth of any month will receive their Social Security payment on February 11.
Those with birthdays from the eleventh through the twentieth will be paid on February 18, and birthdays from the twenty first through the thirty first will see money arrive on February 25. Supplemental Security Income recipients are scheduled to get their monthly payment on February 27.
More broadly, Social Security retirement and disability benefits follow a familiar pattern in 2026, landing on the second, third, and fourth Wednesday of each month from January through December.
The official Schedule of Social Security Benefit Payments lists the full calendar for anyone who wants to see every date lined up month by month.
Why your check may be higher in 2026
So why is the number on the deposit slip up this year? That comes from the 2.8% cost of living adjustment that was finalized at the end of October after a delay linked to the previous shutdown.
This adjustment is meant to help checks keep up with inflation on groceries, gas, and utilities. For the average retiree it adds about $56 a month, moving a standard payment from roughly $2,015 to around $2,071.
Working while collecting benefits in 2026
The shutdown also does not change the rules for people who work while receiving Social Security. In 2026 the earnings test limits are higher than in 2025, giving people who have not reached full retirement age a little more room to work.
For workers who will reach full retirement age by December 31, the earnings cap in 2026 is $65,160.
That higher cap means you can earn more from wages or self-employment before benefits are withheld, and waiting to start Social Security until age 70, beyond a typical full retirement age of about 67 depending on your birth year, can raise your monthly check to a maximum of $4,152.
The main official press release has been published by the Social Security Administration.
