How Your Expected Delivery Date Affects the SSS Qualifying Period 2026

If you’re expecting a baby in 2026, your Expected Delivery Date (EDD) doesn’t just tell you when your baby will arrive — it also determines whether you qualify for the SSS Maternity Benefit.

Many first-time moms are surprised to learn that even if they’ve been paying SSS for years, they can still be disqualified if their contributions don’t fall in the right months. The key to understanding this lies in how your EDD affects your SSS Qualifying Period.

Let’s go step-by-step so you can check your eligibility confidently — and even use the SSS Maternity Qualifying Period Calculator 2026 to make it easier.

🤰 Why the SSS Maternity Benefit Is Important

The SSS Maternity Benefit provides financial support for female SSS members who cannot work due to childbirth, miscarriage, or emergency termination of pregnancy (ETP).

It’s a crucial help for moms who need time to recover while ensuring they still receive an income.

Kung member ka ng SSS, good news — pwede ka ring mag-apply basta qualified ka sa requirements.

🗓️ The Role of Your Expected Delivery Date (EDD)

Your Expected Delivery Date determines two key things:

Your semester of contingency (the 6-month window used by SSS), and
Your qualifying period (the 12 months used to count valid contributions).

These two are directly connected — and they decide if you’re eligible for the benefit.

🧮 Step 1: Identify Your Semester of Contingency

The semester of contingency is made up of two quarters:

The quarter of your expected delivery, and
The previous quarter before it.

This is known as the 2-Quarter Rule.

Example:

If your EDD is March 2026,

Quarter of delivery = Q1 2026 (January–March)
Previous quarter = Q4 2025 (October–December)

✅ Semester of contingency = October 2025 to March 2026

SSS will exclude this period when counting your qualifying contributions.

📆 Step 2: Count 12 Months Backward to Find the Qualifying Period

From the first month of your semester of contingency, count 12 months backward.

This 12-month window is your qualifying period — the months where you need at least 3 SSS contributions to qualify.

Example:

Using the same case:

Start of semester: October 2025
Count backward 12 months: October 2024 to September 2025

✅ Your qualifying period is October 2024 – September 2025
You must have paid 3 or more contributions within this time.

📊 Example Chart: How EDD Changes Your Qualifying Period

Expected Delivery Date (EDD)	Quarter of Delivery	Semester of Contingency	Qualifying Period	Minimum Contributions
February 2026	Q1 2026	Oct 2025 – Mar 2026	Oct 2024 – Sep 2025	3
May 2026	Q2 2026	Jan 2026 – Jun 2026	Jan 2025 – Dec 2025	3
August 2026	Q3 2026	Apr 2026 – Sep 2026	Apr 2025 – Mar 2026	3
November 2026	Q4 2026	Jul 2026 – Dec 2026	Jul 2025 – Jun 2026	3

💡 Your EDD decides everything — one month earlier or later can shift your qualifying period completely.

🧠 Step 3: Check Contributions That Count

Only the months within your qualifying period count toward your eligibility.

Any payment made:

Before the qualifying period → ❌ Too early
During the semester of contingency → ❌ Not counted
Within the qualifying period → ✅ Counts toward eligibility

🖥️ Step 4: Use the Calculator for Instant Results

To make sure your computation is correct, use the SSS Maternity Qualifying Period Calculator 2026.

Simply:

Enter your Expected Delivery Date (EDD)
Click Compute
Instantly see your semester of contingency, qualifying period, and eligibility status

Perfect for moms who want to avoid errors or confusion.

💰 Step 5: Know How Much You Can Receive

Your benefit amount depends on your Average Daily Salary Credit (ADSC) and your type of delivery.

Type of Delivery	Paid Leave Days	Description
Normal Delivery	105 days	Standard coverage
Cesarean Delivery	105 days	Same duration
Miscarriage / ETP / Stillbirth	60 days	For pregnancy loss
Solo Parent (Normal/Cesarean)	120 days	With Solo Parent ID

⚠️ Common Mistakes When Computing Eligibility

Using the wrong EDD – Always use your OB-GYN’s official due date.
Forgetting to exclude the semester of contingency – Those 6 months don’t count.
Counting from the wrong month – Always start from the first month of the semester.
Paying late – Late payments don’t count toward your maternity eligibility.
Relying on old contributions – Only recent months in the qualifying period are valid.

📋 Step 6: Verify Your Contributions

To ensure you’re ready to claim:

Log in to your My.SSS account
Go to Inquiry → Contributions
Check your payment history
Count how many months fall within your qualifying period

If you have 3 or more valid months, you’re eligible!

💬 TL;DR (Summary for Busy Readers)

Your EDD determines your semester of contingency
SSS counts 12 months before that semester to find your qualifying period
You need 3 contributions within that 12-month window
Payments made during the semester don’t count
Use the SSS Maternity Qualifying Period Calculator 2026 to check instantly

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What if my actual delivery is earlier or later than my EDD?
SSS will use your actual delivery date to determine the correct semester and qualifying period.

2. Can I pay missed months once I know my EDD?
No. SSS does not accept late or retroactive payments for eligibility purposes.

3. Do my old SSS contributions still count?
Only those within your qualifying period count — older payments won’t affect current eligibility.

4. How can I confirm if my contributions were remitted by my employer?
Log in to My.SSS and check your Contribution Record to verify.

5. Does the same rule apply for miscarriage or stillbirth cases?
Yes, the computation of the qualifying period is the same — only the number of paid leave days changes.