The new Social Security payments for retirees aged 70 and above, now capped at $5,108, go out in nine days. When will checks arrive? Social Security payments are scheduled to begin on the second Wednesday of every month,

As such, the way inflation trends in August will have a huge impact on next year's Social Security raise. Similarly, in mid-August, the Bureau of Labor Statistics is set to release its CPI-W data from July. So that should give an even stronger clue as to what might be in store for 2026.

A recent report showed that about two-thirds of retired Americans say they rely on Social Security “substantially,” while 21% rely on it “somewhat.” Additionally, 67% of Americans view Social Security as more important to retirees than it was just five years ago.