Social Security payment dates for December 2025: Full SSI, SSDI deposit timeline — Why December include an
Social Security payments for December 2025 are set to roll out on schedule, even after the government shutdown that stretched from early October to mid-November. Millions of beneficiaries will receive their checks before the 2026 COLA increase takes effect in January. The Social Security Administration (SSA) will follow its standard Wednesday payment cycle, beginning December 10.
SSI recipients will get their December payment on December 1. Early 2026 SSI payments will also arrive in advance due to the calendar shift. A major change this year is the federal move away from paper checks. As of October, all payments must be received through direct deposit or a Direct Express debit card. This followed President Donald Trump’s March executive order ending paper check distribution.
Vermont alone has more than 160,000 Social Security beneficiaries, based on December 2023 data. All recipients nationwide will receive a 2.8% COLA increase in early 2026.
The SSA will issue December retirement benefits on its usual staggered schedule based on birth dates.
Payments are sent on the second, third, and fourth Wednesdays of the month.
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Here’s the December 2025 calendar:
- December 10: Birthdays from the 1st to 10th.
- December 17: Birthdays from the 11th to 20th.
- December 24: Birthdays from the 21st to 31st.
Beneficiaries who started receiving Social Security before May 1997 will get their check earlier, on Wednesday, December 3.
December 2025 includes an additional deposit for SSI recipients. The January 2026 SSI payment arrives one day early on Wednesday, December 31. This shift occurs because January 1 is a federal holiday, and the Social Security Administration does not process payments on closed banking days. This early transfer will also be the first check reflecting the 2026 COLA increase.
When will SSI payments arrive in December and early 2026?
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is paid on the first of each month. Because of weekends and the holiday calendar, some payments arrive early. This affects both December 2025 and the first months of 2026.
Upcoming SSI payment dates:
- Monday, Dec. 1, 2025: December payment
- Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025: January 2026 payment
- Friday, Jan. 30, 2026: February 2026 payment
- Friday, Feb. 27, 2026: March 2026 payment
- Wednesday, Apr. 1, 2026: April 2026 payment
- Friday, May 1, 2026: May 2026 payment
- Monday, Jun. 1, 2026: June 2026 payment
- Wednesday, Jul. 1, 2026: July 2026 payment
- Friday, Jul. 31, 2026: August 2026 payment
SSI supports adults and children with limited income or resources who are blind, disabled, or 65 and older. Adults generally must have monthly wages below $2,019 to qualify. Applications can be made online, by phone at 1-800-772-1213, or at a local SSA office.
What if your Social Security payment is late?
Most recipients get their payments on time. Nearly 99% are paid electronically, reducing delays.
If your scheduled date passes without payment, the SSA recommends waiting three extra mailing days before contacting them. After that, you can call, visit an office, or review your status through your my Social Security account.
When can Americans start claiming Social Security benefits?
Retirement benefits can begin as early as age 62, though monthly payments are reduced for early filing. Waiting until full retirement age increases the monthly amount. Full retirement age has been rising gradually. Americans born in 1958 reach it at 66 years and 8 months, while those born in 1959 reach it at 66 years and 10 months.
According to the SSA, individuals born between May 2, 1958, and February 28, 1959, will reach full retirement age in 2025. Anyone born in 1960 or later will reach the new standard full retirement age of 67.
The December 31 payment includes the new 2026 cost-of-living adjustment, which begins with all January benefits. Retirees receiving Social Security will see the COLA increase reflected in their January 2026 deposit, scheduled for January 14, 21, or 28, depending on birth date. SSI recipients see it one day early because of the holiday shift.
