The first wave of August Social Security retirement payments lands Wednesday, August 12, for beneficiaries born on the 1st through the 10th of any month. People who started receiving benefits before May 1997, or who also collect Supplemental Security Income, already received their Social Security payment on August 3. Waiting until 70 can push the check as high as $5,181, according to the Social Security Administration (SSA). SSA trustees continue to warn that the retirement trust fund faces depletion around 2032 without congressional action. The 2026 Social Security payment schedule is available from SSA.gov, here.