SSI Recipients Will Get Two Payments in December. Here’s Why

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If you are a recipient of Supplemental Security Income (SSI), you can expect two payments to be deposited into your account this December. However, this is not an additional holiday bonus; it is simply the timing of the Social Security Administration’s payment schedule. The second deposit you receive in December is actually your January benefit, arriving a day early due to New Year’s Day being a federal holiday.

The December payment will also include the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for 2026. This means that the check will be approximately 2.8% larger than the one received at the beginning of the month. For the average retiree receiving Social Security benefits, this translates to an additional $56 per month.

It is important to note that around 70 million Americans receive Social Security retirement benefits, with approximately 8 million individuals receiving disability insurance and 7 million receiving SSI. The COLA increase of 2.8% applies across all these programs, providing a slight bump in payments for millions of beneficiaries starting on December 31.

When Can You Expect Your SSI Check in December?

Normally, SSI payments are disbursed on the first of the month. For December, the first round of SSI payments is scheduled for December 1, as per the Social Security Administration’s payment schedule. However, if the first of the month falls on a weekend or federal holiday, the benefit date is adjusted. Therefore, January’s payment will be issued on December 31 this year, a day earlier than usual due to New Year’s Day.

This shift in payment dates is not uncommon and has occurred in previous years as well. In 2025, SSI recipients received two checks in May, August, and October due to the same scheduling adjustment.

A similar situation will occur in 2026, where SSI beneficiaries will receive two checks in July, October, and December.

Upcoming SSI Payment Schedule

Here is the SSI payment calendar for the remainder of 2025 and 2026, based on the SSA’s benefit payment calendar:

Dec. 1, 2025: Regular payment for December

Dec. 31, 2025: Early payment for January (due to New Year’s Day)

Jan. 30, 2026: Early payment for February (Feb. 1 falls on a Sunday)

Feb. 27, 2026: Early payment for March (March 1 falls on a Sunday)

April 1, 2026: Regular payment for April

May 1, 2026: Regular payment for May

June 1, 2026: Regular payment for June

July 1, 2026: Regular payment for July

July 31, 2026: Early payment for August (Aug. 1 falls on a Saturday)

Sept. 1, 2026: Regular payment for September

Oct. 1, 2026: Regular payment for October

Oct. 30, 2026: Early payment for November (Nov. 1 falls on a Sunday)

Dec. 1, 2026: Regular payment for December

Dec. 31, 2026: Early payment for January (due to New Year’s Day)

Social Security Payment Schedule for December

If you receive both SSI and Social Security benefits, your Social Security payment will follow the regular monthly schedule for December, typically based on your birthdate. However, individuals who started receiving benefits before May 1997 may receive SSI on Dec. 1 and Social Security benefits on Dec. 3.

Beneficiaries with birthdays between the first and 10th day of the month will receive their benefit on Dec. 10, those with birthdays between the 11th and 20th will receive payment on Dec. 17, and individuals with birthdays between the 21st and 31st will get their checks on Dec. 24.