The Social Security Administration’s (SSA) last scheduled Social Security benefit payments for 2025 will be distributed on Wednesday, Dec. 24, marking the final standard monthly disbursement before a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) takes effect in the new year.
According to the agency’s payment schedule, retirees and other beneficiaries born between the 21st and 31st of the month receive their Social Security benefits on the fourth Wednesday. This year, that date falls on Christmas Eve in December.
Social Security payment dates are generally determined by the recipient’s date of birth according to the SSA’s staggered monthly schedule:
- Birthdays on the 1st–10th: paid on the second Wednesday
- Birthdays on the 11th–20th: paid on the third Wednesday
- Birthdays on the 21st–31st: paid on the fourth Wednesday
Exceptions: SSI Recipients, Long-Term Beneficiaries
However, not all beneficiaries receive payments on Wednesdays. Those who began receiving Social Security before May 1997 and individuals who receive both Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) are generally paid on the third day of the month for Social Security and on the first day for SSI, according to SSA guidelines.SSI payments are issued on a different schedule from regular Social Security benefits. Since Jan. 1, 2026, is New Year's Day and a federal holiday, the January SSI payment will be sent out early, on Dec. 31, 2025. As a result, SSI recipients will receive two payments in December: one for the current month and an advance payment for January.
Cost-of-Living Adjustment: What to Expect
After the final December payments are distributed, beneficiaries will begin receiving larger monthly checks in January 2026, due to a cost-of-living adjustment. In October, the SSA announced a 2.8 percent increase in Social Security benefits and SSI payments for 2026.According to the SSA, the COLA will apply to benefits payable in January 2026, affecting nearly 71 million retirement, disability, and survivor beneficiaries. It will also boost the average retired worker’s monthly payment by about $56 beginning next year.
The increase reflects yearly adjustments tied to changes in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, a measure of inflation used by the SSA to ensure benefit amounts keep pace with rising costs of living.
How to Find Your Payment Dates
The SSA publishes annual payment calendars for retirees, disability beneficiaries, and SSI recipients. These calendars provide specific payment dates based on your birth date and the type of benefit you receive.Beneficiaries can also create a My Social Security account on the SSA’s website to view individual payment schedules, update bank information, and review future benefits.