Social Security has a cash flow problem. For years, the agency has been paying more in benefits than it was paying in payroll taxes.
scrips news
Social Security payments follow a normal schedule in December and will be the last check before the upcoming cost-of-living increases take effect.
Social Security benefits – paid mostly to recipients who are older or retired – are usually paid on Wednesdays. If your birthday falls between the 1st and 10th of the month, your payment is issued on the second Wednesday of the month (this month, that falls on December 10), according to the Social Security Administration’s calendar.
According to the SSA calendar, beneficiaries born between the 11th and 20th are paid on the third Wednesday (December 17), and those born after the 20th of the month are paid on the fourth Wednesday of the month (December 24). Social Security recipients who began receiving benefits before May 1997 are paid on December 3.
After the December payments, recipients will get larger checks because of a 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, increase. The Social Security Administration said payments will increase by an average of about $56 per month when the COLA takes effect in January 2026.
Social Security Payment Schedule for December 2025 and January 2026
The Social Security Administration’s 2025 and 2026 benefit payment calendars are available online so you can check the schedule for budgeting purposes.
Regular Social Security retirement benefits for December will be sent according to the SSA’s normal schedule:
- Wednesday, December 10: Date of birth between 1st and 10th of the month.
- Wednesday, December 17: The date of birth is between 11th and 20th of the month.
- Wednesday, December 24: Date of birth between 21st and 31st of the month.
January 2026 Social Security retirement benefits will also be sent on the SSA’s normal schedule:
- Wednesday, January 14: Date of birth between 1st and 10th of the month.
- Wednesday, January 21: The date of birth is between 11th and 20th of the month.
- Wednesday, January 28: Date of birth between 21st and 31st of the month.
SSI Payment Schedule through December and 2026
Recipients of Supplemental Security Income checks are typically issued payments on the first business day of the month, Monday, December 1. Since January 1, 2026 is a holiday (New Year’s Day), payments for January will be due on Wednesday, December 31, 2025. As per the SSA calendar, SSI checks will be sent on the following dates in early 2026:
- Monday, December 1, 2025 (check for December 2025)
- Wednesday, December 31, 2025 (check for January 2026)
- Friday, January 30, 2026 (check for February 2026)
- Friday, February 27, 2026 (check for March 2026)
- Wednesday, April 1, 2026 (check for April 2026)
- Friday, May 1, 2026 (check for May 2026)
- Monday, June 1, 2026 (check for June 2026)
What is SSI?
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a benefit program for individuals with limited income or resources, who are age 65 or older, and who are blind or have a qualifying disability. Children with qualifying disabilities are also eligible, according to the SSA website. Adults who qualify for SSI typically make no more than $2,019 a month.
If you think you may be eligible for SSI, you can start the application process online, in person at your local Social Security office, or by calling 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) from 8 AM to 7 PM local time during the work week.
Contributing: USA TODAY’s Fernando Cervantes Jr., Mary Walrath-Holdridge And Medora Lee.
Mike Snyder is a national trending news reporter for USA TODAY. You can follow him on Threads, BlueSky, X, and email him mikegsnider , @mikegsnider.bsky.social , @mikesnider &msnider@usatoday.com
What’s everyone talking about? Sign up for our trending newsletter to get the latest news of the day
<a href=