Final Social Security Payments for the Month: Will You Get Paid on July 22?

This week’s payments are distributed to recipients whose birthdays fall between the 21st and the 31st of the month.

Published: 7/21/2026, 1:30:08 PM EDT

Final Social Security Payments for the Month: Will You Get Paid on July 22? — A Social Security card sits alongside checks from the U.S. Treasury in this photo illustration in Washington on Oct. 14, 2021. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

The last round of Social Security payments for July goes out this week, with millions of beneficiaries set to receive their checks on July 22.

This week’s payments are distributed to recipients whose birthdays fall between the 21st and the 31st of the month.

Under the program, which is funded primarily through payroll taxes, most workers and their employers each contribute 6.2 percent of wages, while self-employed individuals generally pay the full 12.4 percent themselves. Those taxes apply only to earnings up to an annual income limit set by the federal government.

Eligibility

To qualify for Social Security retirement benefits, individuals must be at least 62 years old and have earned a minimum of 40 work credits, which generally represents about 10 years of employment while paying Social Security taxes.

Retirement is not the only way to receive Social Security benefits.

The program also provides payments to people who are disabled or blind and meet specific medical and work-credit requirements. In addition, certain family members—including spouses, divorced spouses, surviving spouses, dependent parents, and children of eligible workers—may also qualify for benefits.

For beneficiaries receiving payments based on another person's work record, the monthly payment schedule is determined by the primary beneficiary's birth date.

Payment Schedule, Method

Most Social Security recipients, including retirees and older Americans, are paid on the second, third, or fourth Wednesday of the month, based on their birth dates. Some recipients who began receiving benefits before May 1997 or who also receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) follow a different payment schedule.

Social Security benefits are typically paid by direct deposit into a bank account or through a Direct Express debit card.

A full schedule of this year's payments can be found on the Social Security Administration's website.

Social Security Under Pressure

The Social Security program faces growing financial pressure. The trust fund that pays Social Security retirement benefits to millions of Americans is now projected to run out of money in late 2032—months sooner than previously expected, according to a new government report.

The agency said the earlier depletion date is due in part to tax changes included in President Donald Trump's signature tax law enacted last year. Once the trust fund is exhausted, Social Security would no longer be able to pay full scheduled benefits unless Congress takes action.

Without congressional action, Social Security could run short of funding as early as 2032, triggering an estimated 28 percent cut in monthly benefits for retirees, according to estimates.

Reuters contributed to this report.