Overview
- Supplemental Security Income pays on Dec. 1 for December and again on Dec. 31 as an advance for January, not as an extra payment.
- Social Security retirement and disability benefits in December are scheduled for Dec. 10 (birthdays 1–10), Dec. 17 (11–20) and Dec. 24 (21–31).
- People who began benefits before May 1997 or who receive both Social Security and SSI are paid Social Security on Dec. 3, with SSI on Dec. 1 and Dec. 31.
- A 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment takes effect in January 2026, lifting average monthly Social Security payments by about $56.
- The SSA distributes benefits to nearly 74 million people monthly, about 7.4 million receive SSI, and most payments are delivered electronically via direct deposit or Direct Express.