Overview
- The Social Security Administration’s calendar pays this month’s second wave on Wednesday, Dec. 17, for beneficiaries with birthdates from the 11th through the 20th.
- December’s first round was issued on Dec. 10 for those born on the 1st–10th, and the next round is scheduled for Dec. 24 for birthdates on the 21st–31st.
- Regular scheduling follows a birthdate system that pays on the second, third, or fourth Wednesday, while most people who started benefits before May 1997 are paid on the third day of the month.
- SSI benefits follow separate timing, with the January 2026 payment issued early on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025, and the SSA calendar listing subsequent SSI dates of Jan. 30 and Feb. 27, 2026.
- Payments will reflect a 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment beginning in January 2026, and most beneficiaries now receive funds electronically via direct deposit or the Direct Express card.