Social Security payments would follow the usual schedule in December, marking the last round of checks before upcoming cost-of-living increases take effect. Social Security benefits are paid mostly to recipients who are elderly or retired, and are usually paid on Wednesdays.
After the December payments, Social Security recipients will get more checks due to a 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, increase. According to the Social Security Administration, payments will increase by an average of $56 per month — after the COLA takes effect in January 2026.
When will you get Social Security in December?
If your birthday is between the first and the 10th of the month, your payments will be paid on the second Wednesday of that month, according to the Social Security Administration’s calendar.
Regular Social Security retirement benefits for December will be issued according to the SSA’s standard monthly payment schedule. Here are the dates depending on the recipient’s date of birth:
- Wednesday December 10 – Date of birth between the 1st and 10th of the month.
- Wednesday, December 17 – Date of birth between the 11th and 20th of the month.
- Wednesday, December 24 – Date of birth between the 21st and 31st of the month.
Schedule of social insurance payments for January
For January 2026 Social Security retirement benefits, the schedule remains the same as follows:
- Wednesday January 21 – Date of birth between the 11th and 20th of the month.
- Wednesday January 28 – Date of birth between the 21st and 31st of the month.
Are SSI checks due earlier this year?
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients typically receive their payments on the first business day of the month – which is Monday, December 1 this year. However, for January, 1 January 2026 is a New Year’s holiday – January’s SSI payment will come a day earlier, on Wednesday 31 December 2025.
