Those receiving Social Security will have another reason to be grateful this Thanksgiving. Due to a scheduling anomaly, recipients will get an additional check. The bad news is that you won’t get paid in December. In addition to their monthly Social Security check, recipients of Supplemental Security Income (SSI), which is government-issued retirement income for people aged 62 and over, will receive three checks in November. However, SSI recipients will not receive a payout in December.
Social Security payments have changed for November
The reason for the change is that Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits, which are additional payments outside of Social Security for people with low incomes and few resources, are paid on the first business day of each month. The checks will be issued on Friday, November 29, according to the SSA calendar, because December 1 falls on a Sunday. The 2025 calendar is already available online, and similar calendar quirks are expected next year. For example, SSI beneficiaries will receive their January 2025 payments on December 31, 2024. Then you will receive your payment for February 2025 on January 31, 2025, and your payment for March 2025 on February 28, 2025. This means that SSI beneficiaries will not receive a payment in March. They will receive two payments in May 2025, but none in June.
Social Security provides retirement, disability, and survivor benefits to U.S. citizens to help ensure their financial security. It is funded by taxes on employees, employers, and self-employed workers. A worker’s lifetime earnings determine the percentage of his or her retirement income that Social Security will replace. Depending on your wages and when you choose to begin receiving benefits, retirement benefits will replace a percentage of your average earnings. If you are 62 or older, disabled or blind, and have enough work credits, you may qualify for Social Security benefits based on your earnings history.
What is the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program?
According to the SSA website, anyone 65 years of age or older, blind, or with a qualifying handicap, including children with a qualifying disability, who have low-income resources are eligible for SSI payments. SSI is often provided to persons who make less than $1,971 per month from employment. If you believe you may be qualified for SSI payments, a new, faster application process for Americans will be implemented later this year. Furthermore, the Social Security Administration is responsible for delivering over 70 million payments to retirees, survivors, handicapped individuals, and SSI users; they created an annual payment schedule so that beneficiaries are aware of their payment dates for each program.
You can utilize the Social Security Administration’s online calendar to create a budget by viewing their annual payout schedules. Regular retirement benefits from Social Security will be disbursed according to the SSA’s regular schedule:
- Wednesday, November 13th: Birth dates between the first and tenth of the month.
- Wednesday, November 20: Birth dates from the 11th to the 20th of the month.
- Wednesday, November 27: Birth dates from the 21st to the 31st of the month.
How will the cost of living adjustment (COLA) affect Social Security payments in 2025?
Thanks to the new 2.5% cost of living adjustment (COLA), all beneficiaries will get their increased payments starting in January 2025. The purpose of COLA is to help beneficiaries keep pace with inflation so they have enough money to cover their daily expenses. Based on this 2.5% COLA increase, here are all the upcoming payment amounts to be delivered:
| Retirement benefits (Plus 2.5%) | Survivor benefits (Plus 2.5%) | SSDI benefits (Plus 2.5%) | SSI benefits (Plus 2.5%) |
| On average: $1,948Age 62: $2,778
Age 67: $3,918 Age 70: $4,995 |
On average: $1,543Individual: $1,817
2 Children: $3,744 |
On average: $1,575Blind recipients: $2,655
Maximum payment: $3,918 |
On average: $715Individuals: $967
Couples: $1,450 Essential person: $484 |