Did your mailbox suddenly feel a little heavier at the end of December? For a slice of Social Security recipients, that’s intentional — not a clerical fluke.
The quirk: holiday timing makes December a double-pay month
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) — the program that helps older adults and people with disabilities who have limited income and resources — is normally paid on the first of each month. But the Social Security Administration (SSA) doesn’t issue payments on federal holidays or weekends. Because Jan. 1, 2026, falls on a federal holiday, the SSA moves that January payment to the business day before: Dec. 31, 2025. That means SSI recipients see the December check arrive on Dec. 1 and the January check on Dec. 31 — two checks in one calendar month.
This scheduling quirk isn’t limited to New Year’s: when a first-of-month date lands on a weekend (for example, Aug. 1, 2026 is a Saturday and Nov. 1, 2026 is a Sunday), the corresponding checks get shifted into the prior month as well.
Who gets what — the short guide
- SSI recipients: expect two checks in December 2025 — Monday, Dec. 1 (for December) and Wednesday, Dec. 31 (for January). The SSA’s published calendar shows follow-on SSI dates early in 2026 (for example, Friday, Jan. 30 for the February 2026 check). For the official schedule, see the Social Security Administration.
- Regular Social Security retirement/disability beneficiaries: payments are sent according to birthdate if you began receiving benefits after May 1997: - Birthdays 1–10: payment on the second Wednesday of the month (Dec. 10, 2025) - Birthdays 11–20: third Wednesday (Dec. 17) - Birthdays 21–31: fourth Wednesday (Dec. 24)
- Cost-of-living adjustment: Social Security benefits and SSI were set to rise by 2.8% in January 2026, boosting many monthly payments by roughly $56 on average.
- Overpayment recoveries: the SSA has been sending notices and, in some cases, withholding benefits to recover overpayments. In 2025 the agency began withholding up to 50% of monthly benefits from some people with outstanding overpayments unless a repayment plan or waiver is arranged.
- Contact and help: questions about your specific payment date, missing funds, or repayment options are best handled through the SSA. The agency’s website has calendars and guidance at ssa.gov and you can call 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778).
If you began receiving benefits before May 1997, or you receive both Social Security and SSI, your timing follows the earlier rules (third of the month or the first for SSI). Many outlets and the SSA note that most beneficiaries are paid electronically (about 99%), which reduces delivery delays.
If you didn’t get a paper check when expected, SSA recommends allowing about three extra mailing days before contacting the agency.
A few other things to know this year
Timing quirks like this are ordinary bureaucracy meeting the calendar — a small scheduling ripple that for some people translates into a helpful extra check before the new year, and for others a reminder to check benefit timelines and any notices from the SSA.