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May 13 Social Security checks start this Wednesday for many Americans here is who gets paid first
International
Published on 14 May 2026
Your birthday range decides if the May 13 check lands
Americans are set to receive Social Security benefits this week, with Wednesday, May 13 marking the first scheduled tranche for May. Payments typically follow a Wednesday cycle, and the key determinant is recipients’ birth dates: those born between the 1st and 10th are expected to get their monthly checks first. The story also connects to the annual cost-of-living adjustment, with Reuters reporting a 2.8 percent rise in 2026 tied to inflation data, affecting about 75 million beneficiaries.
- May 13 is the first Social Security payment tranche for May
- Payments are generally issued on Wednesdays under the schedule
- Birth dates 1st to 10th are expected to receive first
- About 75 million beneficiaries saw a 2.8 percent increase in 2026
- The annual COLA is based on CPI-W index calculations
- Increase takes effect in January for most and December 31, 2025 for SSI
Read the full story at The Economic Times
This summarization was done by Beige for a story published on 
The Economic Times