December 2025 Social Security and SSI payments: exact dates, who gets paid when, and what’s different this month
Wondering when your December deposit arrives? Here’s the clean, date-by-date breakdown for Social Security and SSI payments in December 2025, plus the one-time wrinkle that puts an extra SSI deposit at month’s end.
SSI payments in December 2025
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Monday, December 1: Regular SSI payment for December.
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Wednesday, December 31: Early January 2026 SSI payment (shifted forward because January 1 is a federal holiday). This is not a bonus—it's the January check paid a day early—but it does mean two SSI deposits in December.
Note: The December 31 SSI deposit reflects the new 2026 COLA amounts.
Social Security (retirement, survivors, disability) payment dates
Social Security pays on Wednesdays based on your birth date, unless you’re in a legacy group (see below).
If your birthday is on…
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1st–10th: Wednesday, December 10
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11th–20th: Wednesday, December 17
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21st–31st: Wednesday, December 24
Legacy/combined beneficiaries
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If you filed before May 1997 or you receive both Social Security and SSI, you’re paid on the 3rd of the month.
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Wednesday, December 3
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Quick-look calendar: December 2025 SSA/SSI dates
| Date (Dec 2025) | Who gets paid |
|---|---|
| Mon, Dec 1 | SSI (December) |
| Wed, Dec 3 | Social Security for pre–May 1997 filers and those who also get SSI |
| Wed, Dec 10 | Social Security: birthdays 1–10 |
| Wed, Dec 17 | Social Security: birthdays 11–20 |
| Wed, Dec 24 | Social Security: birthdays 21–31 |
| Wed, Dec 31 | SSI (January 2026 paid early; includes new COLA) |
What’s new: COLA timing and why there are two SSI deposits
Because January 1 is a federal holiday, the January SSI payment is pushed to the preceding business day—this year, Wednesday, December 31. That deposit will already include the 2026 cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), so your SSI amount on Dec. 31 will be higher than the Dec. 1 amount. Regular Social Security COLA increases begin with January 2026 payments (which arrive on their normal January schedule).
Bank posting, Direct Express, and delays
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Direct deposit/Direct Express®: Funds usually post on the scheduled date; some banks post overnight, others by business-day close.
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Weekends/holidays: If your specific date ever lands on a weekend or federal holiday, payment moves to the previous business day.
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Mail: If you still receive paper checks, allow three mailing days beyond the scheduled date before taking action.
Who is in the “3rd of the month” group?
You’re paid on the 3rd if any of the following apply:
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You started receiving Social Security before May 1997;
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You receive both Social Security and SSI;
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You fall under certain administrative categories that are not assigned to the birthday-based Wednesday schedule.
Tips to avoid posting-day surprises
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Check your bank’s cutoff times. Some institutions process deposits later in the day.
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Use account alerts. Set notifications for incoming deposits so you know the moment funds land.
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Keep December’s double-SSI in mind. Budget with the understanding that the Dec. 31 deposit is your January SSI, and there won’t be another SSI deposit on Jan. 1.
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Verify contact details. If you’ve changed banks or addresses recently, confirm your information is current to prevent misdirected payments.
January look-ahead (so you can plan now)
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SSI: Already paid early on Dec. 31 (reflects 2026 COLA).
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Social Security: January payments arrive on the usual second/third/fourth Wednesdays based on your birthday, with the new COLA included.
December features the standard Social Security Wednesday payments—Dec. 10, 17, and 24—plus the legacy group on Dec. 3. SSI pays twice in December: the regular Dec. 1 deposit and the early January payment on Dec. 31 with the new year’s COLA already applied.
