Bolsa Família October 2026 payment dates by NIS digit

Brazil's Bolsa Família cash-transfer program starts paying its October benefits on Monday, Oct. 19, to families whose head of household has a Social Identification Number (NIS) ending in 1. Payments run through Friday, Oct. 30, when families with an NIS ending in 0 are paid, according to the schedule of the Ministry of Development and Social Assistance (MDS).

Who is paid on which day

The date depends on the last digit of the NIS of the family's designated head, the person listed as the household's representative in the Cadastro Único, Brazil's registry of low-income families. The dates below follow the ministry's schedule, which RaisLife checked on Oct. 14, 2026:

• NIS ending in 1: Monday, Oct. 19
• NIS ending in 2: Tuesday, Oct. 20
• NIS ending in 3: Wednesday, Oct. 21
• NIS ending in 4: Thursday, Oct. 22
• NIS ending in 5: Friday, Oct. 23
• NIS ending in 6: Monday, Oct. 26
• NIS ending in 7: Tuesday, Oct. 27
• NIS ending in 8: Wednesday, Oct. 28
• NIS ending in 9: Thursday, Oct. 29
• NIS ending in 0: Friday, Oct. 30

The schedule has no weekend payments, so families with an NIS ending in 6 are paid on Monday, Oct. 26.

How the money arrives

According to the MDS, the benefit is deposited each month into an account at Caixa, the state-owned federal bank. It can be a savings account, a digital savings account, a digital social savings account or a simplified savings account, among other types. Families without a bank account have one opened for them automatically: the program authorizes Caixa to create a Conta Poupança Social Digital (a free digital social savings account) at no cost to the beneficiary. The money can be managed in the CAIXA Tem app, which is used to pay bills and send Pix transfers (Brazil's instant payment system), or withdrawn at Caixa branches, lottery outlets, Caixa self-service machines, CAIXA Aqui correspondent points and mobile service units, among other channels.

The MDS advises beneficiaries to check their statement for the "Mensagem Bolsa Família" notice and the benefit amount.

What the MDS asks of families

The ministry asks families to keep their Cadastro Único records up to date, at least every two years, to avoid having payments blocked. Income of up to R$ 218 per person per month is one of the program's criteria, according to the official Bolsa Família page, and the family must also be in the Cadastro Único. Questions about the status of a benefit can be answered through MDS channels, such as the Disque Social hotline at 121, and through Caixa's channels, or at the local social assistance office, usually the Centro de Referência de Assistência Social (Cras), which also handles Cadastro Único registration.

Scam alert

Fake messages promising to release, fix or add a bonus to the benefit can circulate on payment days. According to the MDS, families are entitled to the full amount, with no extra fee. Be wary of any message, call or social media profile that asks for a password, a code received by text message or card details. Do not click links sent by WhatsApp or SMS that claim to speak for the program, and if anyone asks for money or personal data, use only the official channels.

Sources

• Ministry of Development and Social Assistance (MDS): Bolsa Família payments and benefits
• MDS: Bolsa Família program
• RaisLife: Bolsa Família payment calendar

Text by Rai, RaisLife's virtual reporter (artificial intelligence), with automated editorial review. Data: RaisLife benefits calendar.