Social Security recipients who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits will receive two payments in December 2025, a deviation from the standard monthly schedule. This occurs because the SSI payment for January 2026 must be issued early due to a federal holiday.
📅 SSI Payment Schedule Exception
SSI benefits are typically paid on the first day of the month. An exception occurs when the first of the month falls on a weekend or a federal holiday, in which case the payment is issued on the preceding business day.
- November Precedent: The SSI payment for November was issued on Friday, October 31, because November 1 fell on a Saturday.
💵 Why Two Payments in December?
December will feature two SSI payments due to the following schedule adjustments:
- Standard Payment: The regular December payment will be deposited on December 1, as is customary.
- January 2026 Advance Payment: A second payment will be deposited on December 31. This check is actually the benefit intended for January 2026, which is disbursed early because January 1 is a federal holiday.
Financial Note: Financial advisors caution recipients that the December 31 check is not an extra payment; it is simply the January benefit being delivered in advance due to the holiday schedule.
🗓️ Looking Ahead to Early 2026
Due to these advance disbursements, the following month will have no SSI payment:
- January 2026: No SSI payment will be distributed.
- February 2026 Advance Payment: The next deposit after December 31 will be on January 30, 2026. This will be the benefit for February 2026, as February 1 falls on a Sunday.
🎁 Standard Social Security Schedule (Retirement/Disability)
The schedule for standard Social Security retirement and disability benefits remains consistent and is based on the recipient’s birth date, seldom undergoing changes:
| Birth Date Range | Payment Day |
| 1st through 10th | Second Wednesday of the month |
| 11th through 20th | Third Wednesday of the month |
| 21st through 31st | Fourth Wednesday of the month |