Social Security benefits are going out on Dec. 17: here’s who’s getting a payment
Next Wednesday, the Social Security Administration is due to continue its benefits payment schedule for December 2025.
Next week, the Social Security Administration (SSA) is due to issue benefits to certain recipients across the U.S., in what will be the fourth payment run on the agency’s distribution schedule for December 2025.
Who’s getting a Social Security payment on Dec. 17?
On Wednesday, Dec. 17, payments are to be issued to certain recipients of retirement benefits, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or survivor checks.
Of the just over 70 million Americans who claim retirement, SSDI or survivor benefits, most are paid on the second, third or fourth Wednesday in each month.
A beneficiary’s designated Wednesday is determined by the date of birth of the worker whose Social Security taxes have accumulated the benefits entitlement.
As it falls on the third Wednesday in December, next week’s payment run will cover birthdays between the 11th and 20th of each month.
At a glance - Dec. schedule for 2nd, 3rd & 4th Wednesday payments:
- Born on 1st-10th of each month: Weds., Dec. 10
- Born on 11th-20th of each month: Weds., Dec. 17
- Born on 21st-31st of each month: Weds., Dec. 24
Who isn’t paid on the 2nd, 3rd or 4th Wednesday in Dec.?
- Some long-term Social Security recipients
If you began receiving retirement, SSDI or survivor benefits before May 1997, your check typically goes out on the third day of each month, regardless of your date of birth.
These long-term beneficiaries were therefore scheduled to be paid for December on Wednesday, Dec. 3.
- SSI beneficiaries
The nearly 7.4 million beneficiaries of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) - a separate SSA benefit for low-income individuals who are over 65 or have a disability - are normally paid on the first day of each month.
Consequently, December’s SSI payments were due to be distributed on Monday, Dec. 1.
- Dual beneficiaries (SSI + regular Social Security)
Around 2.5 million people in the U.S. receive both SSI and one of the SSA’s retirement, SSDI or survivor benefits.
These recipients were scheduled to get the former on Dec. 1, followed by the latter on Dec. 3.
At a glance - Dec. payment dates not determined by birthday:
- SSI beneficiaries: Mon., Dec. 1
- Pre-May ’97 Social Sec. recipients: Weds., Dec. 3
- Dual beneficiaries: SSI on Dec. 1; Social Sec. on Dec. 3
You can check out the SSA’s full benefits-distribution schedule for 2025 in this online calendar. The agency has also shared its schedule for 2026.
How much money do Social Security retirement beneficiaries get?
Retired workers - who account for most of the U.S.’s Social Security recipients - get an average of $2,012.30 a month, per the SSA’s most recent figures.
Published in early December, the agency’s latest Social Security fact sheet provides data for October, rather than the past month. This appears to be because of the disruption caused by the recent government shutdown, which lasted throughout October and into mid-November.
How much is paid to disability, survivor and SSI beneficiaries?
According to the SSA, disabled workers are paid a monthly average of $1,588.44, and recipients of survivor benefits get an average of $1,575.89 a month. Beneficiaries of the SSI scheme receive $717.51 per month on average.
2026 to bring COLA increase
This fall, the SSA confirmed that its beneficiaries are to get a 2.8% increase in their payments in 2026. This comes as part of the agency’s annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). For Americans on retirement benefits, this will mean an average monthly rise of $56, the SSA says.
The first recipients of the new monthly payments will be beneficiaries of the SSI program: their January money is to be sent out on December 31 - a day earlier than normal, as New Year’s Day is a federal holiday.
How does the Social Security Administration make benefits payments?
The SSA says it is “in most cases” no longer offering benefits recipients the option of being paid by paper check. Instead, the agency provides beneficiaries with two ways of receiving their payments electronically:
- Direct deposit
By supplying the SSA with their bank details, recipients can get their benefits by direct deposit. You can update your bank-account information on the agency’s “my Social Security” online portal.
- Debit Express Card
Recipients can also have their benefits paid onto the Direct Express Card, a special debit card for federal disbursements made to people without a bank account.
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