Step-by-Step Guide to Checking Your SSS Maternity Eligibility 2026

Planning to claim your SSS Maternity Benefit in 2026? Before anything else, it’s important to make sure you’re qualified. Many first-time moms are surprised when their application is denied simply because they didn’t understand how the qualifying period and 2-quarter rule work.

This guide will walk you through, step-by-step, how to check your eligibility, compute your qualifying period, and verify everything using the SSS Maternity Qualifying Period Calculator 2026.

🤰 What Is the SSS Maternity Benefit?

The SSS Maternity Benefit is a cash allowance granted to female SSS members who cannot work due to childbirth, miscarriage, or early pregnancy termination (ETP).

It’s one of the most valuable benefits for mothers — providing income replacement during recovery so you can focus on your health and your baby.

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

🧷 Step 1: Know Who Can Avail

You can apply for SSS Maternity Benefit if:

You’re a female SSS member (employed, voluntary, self-employed, or OFW).
You’ve paid at least 3 contributions within the 12 months before your semester of contingency.
You’ve filed your maternity notification with SSS (or your employer if employed) before giving birth.

Even if you’ve been a member for years, you won’t qualify if your payments fall outside the qualifying period.

🗓️ Step 2: Understand Your “Semester of Contingency”

The semester of contingency refers to the 6-month period that includes:

The quarter of your delivery, and
The quarter immediately before it.

This is known as the 2-Quarter Rule.

Example:

If your Expected Delivery Date (EDD) is March 2026,

Quarter of delivery = Q1 2026 (Jan–Mar)
Previous quarter = Q4 2025 (Oct–Dec)
✅ Semester of contingency: October 2025 to March 2026

🧮 Step 3: Compute Your Qualifying Period

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

Start of semester: October 2025
Go back 12 months → October 2024 to September 2025

✅ That’s your qualifying period.
You must have at least 3 paid contributions within this time.

📅 Step 4: Verify Using Real Examples

Expected Delivery	Semester of Contingency	Qualifying Period	Minimum Contributions
March 2026	Oct 2025 – Mar 2026	Oct 2024 – Sep 2025	3
June 2026	Jan 2026 – Jun 2026	Jan 2025 – Dec 2025	3
September 2026	Apr 2026 – Sep 2026	Apr 2025 – Mar 2026	3
December 2026	Jul 2026 – Dec 2026	Jul 2025 – Jun 2026	3

🧠 Step 5: Check Your SSS Contributions

Login to your My.SSS account, go to “Inquiry” → “Contributions,” and check which months you’ve paid.
If you have 3 or more payments inside your qualifying period, congratulations — you qualify!

⚙️ Step 6: Double-Check Instantly with the Calculator

To save time, use the SSS Maternity Qualifying Period Calculator 2026.

You just need to:

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

Perfect for moms who don’t want to manually calculate or risk mistakes.

💰 Step 7: Know How Much Benefit You Can Get

Your SSS Maternity Benefit is based on your Average Daily Salary Credit (ADSC) and type of delivery.

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

⚠️ Step 8: Avoid Common Mistakes

Paying during the semester of contingency – Payments here won’t count for your current pregnancy.
Late or missed payments – Voluntary and self-employed members must pay before deadlines.
No maternity notification filed – Always notify SSS or your employer before giving birth.
Incorrect EDD used – Always use your OB-GYN’s official due date.
Relying on old payments – Contributions from years ago don’t count if outside the qualifying period.

📋 Quick Checklist

✅ Female SSS member
✅ 3 or more contributions within your qualifying period
✅ Pregnancy notified to SSS (or employer) before delivery
✅ Correct EDD and semester computed
✅ Documents ready for claim filing

💬 TL;DR (Summary for Busy Readers)

To qualify, you must have 3 contributions within the 12 months before your semester of contingency
The semester = delivery quarter + previous quarter (2 quarters total)
Payments made during the semester won’t count
File your maternity notification early
Verify instantly using the SSS Maternity Qualifying Period Calculator 2026

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. How can I check if I’m eligible even without the calculator?
Compute your semester manually and count 12 months backward. If you paid 3 contributions during that time, you qualify.

2. Can I pay for missed months?
No. Retroactive payments are not accepted for maternity eligibility.

3. What if my EDD changes?
SSS will use your actual date of delivery to finalize your qualifying period.

4. Do I need to notify my employer?
Yes. For employed members, your employer must file your maternity notification and advance your benefit.

5. I’m self-employed. Can I still claim?
Yes! As long as you’ve paid 3 qualifying contributions and filed your maternity notification early.

❤️ Final Reminder

Don’t wait until you’re about to give birth to check your eligibility.
Confirm it today using the SSS Maternity Qualifying Period Calculator 2026 — it’s free, easy, and ensures you won’t miss the support you deserve as a soon-to-be mom.
Because when your baby arrives, the last thing you want to worry about is paperwork!