On Christmas Eve next week, the Social Security Administration (SSA) is to issue benefits to millions of recipients across the U.S.
This will be the SSA’s penultimate round of payments in 2025; the agency is due to complete December’s benefits-distribution schedule exactly a week later, on New Year’s Eve.
Who gets a Social Security payment on Christmas Eve 2025?
On Wednesday, Dec. 24, payments are to be made to certain recipients of retirement benefits, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or survivor pay.
Of the more than 70 million Americans who claim retirement, SSDI or survivor benefits in the U.S., most are paid on the second, third or fourth Wednesday in each month.
A beneficiary’s designated Wednesday is determined by the date of birth of the worker whose Social Security taxes have accumulated the benefits entitlement.
As it falls on the fourth Wednesday in December, Christmas Eve’s payment run will cover birthdays between the 21st and 31st of each month.
At a glance – Dec. schedule for 2nd, 3rd & 4th Wednesday payments:
- Born on 1st to 10th of each month: Weds., Dec. 10
- Born on 11th to 20th of each month: Weds., Dec. 17
- Born on 21st to 31st of each month: Weds., Dec. 24
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Who doesn’t get their benefits on the 2nd, 3rd or 4th Wednesday?
- Some long-term Social Security recipients
If you started claiming retirement, SSDI or survivor pay before May 1997, your benefits are normally paid out on the third day of each month, irrespective of your date of birth.
These beneficiaries were therefore scheduled to get their December money on Wednesday, Dec. 3.
- SSI beneficiaries
The almost 7.4 million recipients of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) – a separate SSA benefit for low-income individuals who are over 65 or have a disability – are normally paid on the first day of each month.
December’s SSI benefits were therefore slated to be sent out on Monday, Dec. 1.
It should be noted, though, that January 2026’s SSI payments are due to be paid on Dec. 31, in the final disbursement on the SSA’s 2025 schedule. As New Year’s Day is a federal holiday, January’s SSI money is to be issued 24 hours early.
- Dual beneficiaries (SSI + regular Social Security)
Just over 2.5 million people in the U.S. receive both SSI and one of the SSA’s retirement, SSDI or survivor benefits. This month, these beneficiaries were scheduled to get the former on Dec. 1, and the latter on Dec. 3.
On Dec. 31, these dual recipients are then in line for a third payment this month, when January’s SSI checks are distributed a day earlier than usual.
At a glance – Dec. payment dates not determined by birthday:
- SSI recipients: Mon., Dec. 1
- Pre-May ’97 Social Sec. recipients: Weds., Dec. 3
- Dual recipients: SSI on Dec. 1; Social Sec. on Dec. 3
- SSI recipients: Weds., Dec. 31 (Jan. 2026 payment)
How much is paid to Social Security retirement beneficiaries?
Retired workers – who account for the overwhelming majority of the U.S.’s Social Security beneficiaries – receive $2,013.32 a month on average, per the SSA’s latest figures. In 2025, the top monthly retirement benefit is $5,108, the SSA says.
How much is paid to SSDI, survivor and SSI beneficiaries?
According to the SSA, disabled workers are paid an average of $1,588.52 a month, and beneficiaries of survivor pay get a monthly average of $1,576.20. Recipients of SSI get an average of $717.90 a month.
Benefits to go up in 2026 – how much by?
The SSA has confirmed that its beneficiaries are to receive a 2.8% increase in their payments in 2026. This comes as part of the agency’s annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA).
For Social Security retirement beneficiaries, the COLA for 2026 will translate into an average monthly pay rise of $56, the SSA says. You’ll find more information about next year’s adjusted benefit amounts in this SSA fact sheet.
The opening recipients of the COLA increase will be beneficiaries of the Supplemental Security Income scheme: as mentioned earlier in this article, January’s SSI payments are to be sent out on Dec. 31.
You can take a look at the SSA’s complete benefits-distribution schedule for 2026 in this online pdf shared by the agency.
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How does Social Security send out monthly benefits?
The SSA says it is “in most cases” no longer sending out paper checks. Instead, the agency offers its beneficiaries two ways of receiving electronic payments:
- Direct deposit
By supplying the SSA with their bank details, recipients can get their benefits by direct deposit. You can update your bank-account information on the agency’s “my Social Security” online portal.
- Debit Express Card
Recipients can also have their benefits loaded onto the Direct Express Card, a special debit card for federal payments made to people without a bank account.
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