Social Security benefits are going out on Dec. 24: here’s who’s getting a payment tomorrow
This week, the Social Security Administration is to make the penultimate round of payments on its December 2025 schedule.
Tomorrow, Christmas Eve 2025, the U.S.’s Social Security Administration (SSA) is due to send out benefits to millions of recipients nationwide.
This will be the SSA’s penultimate round of payments in 2025; the agency is to round off December’s benefits-distribution schedule a week later, on New Year’s Eve.
Who gets a Social Security payment on Dec. 24?
On Wednesday, Dec. 24, payments are to go out to certain recipients of retirement benefits, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or survivor pay.
Of the just over 70 million people who claim retirement, SSDI or survivor benefits in the U.S., most get their money 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 fourth Wednesday in December, Christmas Eve’s payment run will cover birthdays between the 21st and 31st 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 doesn’t get paid benefits on the 2nd, 3rd or 4th Wednesday?
- Certain long-term Social Security recipients
If you began receiving retirement benefits, SSDI or survivor pay before May 1997, you are normally paid on the third day of each month, regardless of your date of birth.
These beneficiaries were therefore scheduled to get their December money on Wednesday, Dec. 3.
- SSI recipients
The nearly 7.4 million recipients of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) - a separate, purely needs-based benefit for low-income individuals who are over 65 or have a disability - are typically paid on the first day of each month.
December’s SSI benefits were therefore due to be distributed on Monday, Dec. 1.
It should be noted, though, that January 2026’s SSI payments are to go out on Dec. 31, in the final disbursement on the SSA’s 2025 schedule. As New Year’s Day is a federal holiday, January’s SSI money is to be paid 24 hours early.
- Dual recipients (SSI + regular Social Security)
Just over 2.5 million people in the U.S. claim both SSI and one of the SSA’s retirement, SSDI or survivor benefits. This month, these beneficiaries were scheduled to get the former on Dec. 1, and the latter on Dec. 3.
On Dec. 31, these dual recipients are then slated to receive a third payment this month, when January’s SSI checks are distributed a day earlier than usual.
At a glance - Dec. payment dates not determined by birthday:
- SSI recipients: Mon., Dec. 1
- Pre-May ’97 Social Sec. recipients: Weds., Dec. 3
- Dual recipients: SSI on Mon., Dec. 1; Social Sec. on Weds., Dec. 3
- SSI recipients: Weds., Dec. 31 (Jan. 2026 payment)
How much do retirement beneficiaries get per month?
Retired workers - who account for most of the U.S.’s Social Security beneficiaries - get $2,013.32 a month on average, according to the SSA’s latest figures. The maximum monthly retirement benefit is $5,108 in 2025, the SSA says.
How much do SSDI, survivor and SSI beneficiaries get?
Per the SSA, disabled workers receive $1,588.52 a month on average, and beneficiaries of survivor pay get an average of $1,576.20 a month. SSI beneficiaries get a monthly average of $717.90.
Benefits to go up next year - how much is the 2026 COLA?
The SSA says its beneficiaries are to get a 2.8% rise in their payments in 2026. This comes as part of the agency’s annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA).
For retirement beneficiaries, the 2026 COLA will translate into an average monthly increase of $56, the SSA says. You’ll find more information about next year’s adjusted benefit amounts in this SSA fact sheet.
The opening beneficiaries of the COLA adjustment will be SSI recipients: as mentioned earlier in this article, the scheme’s January’s payments are to be paid on Dec. 31.
You can check out the SSA’s complete benefits-distribution schedule for 2026 in this online pdf.
How does Social Security make benefits payments?
The SSA says it is “in most cases” no longer issuing paper checks. Instead, the agency offers beneficiaries two ways of receiving electronic payments:
- Direct deposit
By supplying the SSA with their bank details, recipients can get their benefits by direct deposit. You can update your account information online using the agency’s “my Social Security” 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 who do not have a bank account.
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