When Will Social Security Pay in December 2025? Complete Payment Calendar

Social Security payments in December 2025 will follow a clear but slightly unusual calendar, with multiple Wednesday deposits and two SSI payments because of the New Year’s holiday. Knowing your exact pay date is essential for budgeting, especially since some deposits will actually count toward January 2026 expenses rather than December spending.

How Social Security decides December pay dates

The Social Security Administration (SSA) pays most retirement and SSDI benefits on a Wednesday schedule based on the beneficiary’s date of birth. People who get SSI, or who started Social Security before May 1997, follow a different pattern and often receive payments at the start of the month instead of mid‑month.​

In December 2025, that standard system still applies, but the New Year’s Day holiday in 2026 forces one key change: the January 2026 SSI payment has to be delivered early, on December 31, 2025, because federal rules do not allow payments to go out on a holiday. This creates the impression of an “extra” check even though it really belongs to the next month.​

Complete December 2025 payment calendar

If you receive Social Security retirement, SSDI, or SSI benefits, your payment date in December depends on your benefit type, when you filed, and your birthday. The schedule below summarizes the main federal payment dates for that month.​

This calendar covers the vast majority of retirement, disability, and SSI situations; some special cases (such as certain international payments) may follow slightly different rules, but those are less common.​

Why some people will see two or even three deposits

Because January 1, 2026 is a federal holiday, the SSA moves the January SSI payment to the previous business day, which is Wednesday, December 31, 2025. That means SSI beneficiaries receive a payment on December 1 for December and another on December 31 for January.​

People who receive both SSI and Social Security may notice as many as three separate deposits during the month: December 1 (SSI), one of the Wednesday Social Security dates based on their birthday, and December 31 (January 2026 SSI). For budgeting, the December 31 deposit should be treated as January income, not extra December money.​

How birth dates affect your Social Security date

If you receive Social Security retirement or SSDI and started benefits after May 1997, your December 2025 pay date is tied to your day of birth. The structure is simple and repeats every month, including December:​

• Birthdays on the 1st–10th: paid on the second Wednesday, December 10

• Birthdays on the 11th–20th: paid on the third Wednesday, December 17

• Birthdays on the 21st–31st: paid on the fourth Wednesday, December 24

  

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Those who began collecting before May 1997, or who receive both Social Security and SSI, are grouped into the early‑month Social Security payment on December 3. This has nothing to do with the 2026 cost‑of‑living adjustment (COLA); the December checks still reflect 2025 benefit levels.​

How banks and mailing can shift what you see

Even with a fixed federal schedule, the exact time your money appears can vary based on how you receive it. Direct deposit and Direct Express card payments usually post on the scheduled date, but some banks show funds earlier or later in the day depending on their internal processing.​​

Paper checks can arrive several days after the official date because of mail transit time. SSA advises allowing about three extra mailing days before assuming a check is missing and suggests contacting your bank first to see if a direct deposit is pending before calling Social Security.​

Using the calendar to plan your budget

Knowing the full December 2025 payment calendar helps you avoid surprise shortfalls around the holidays and into early January. If you receive SSI, it is especially important to remember that the late‑month December 31 deposit is your January 2026 benefit arriving early, not a bonus. Planning rent, utilities, and food expenses with that in mind can prevent a cash crunch at the very start of the new year.​

Retirees and SSDI beneficiaries can also use the Wednesday dates—December 10, 17, and 24—to schedule bill payments and holiday spending. Since the 2026 COLA takes effect with January‑dated benefits, any increase from that adjustment will show up starting with payments in early 2026, not with the December checks themselves.​​

What to do if a December payment is late or missing

If a December 2025 payment does not arrive when expected, first double‑check which date applies to your situation using the calendar above and any notices from SSA. Then contact your bank or card provider to ask whether the deposit is pending or delayed on their end.​​

After one full business day for direct deposit or about three mailing days for a paper check, you can report a missing payment directly to Social Security. SSA can trace the deposit and, if necessary, issue a replacement, but this process works best when you have already ruled out bank posting delays or mail slowdowns.​

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FAQs

Q1 Why do SSI recipients get two payments in December 2025?
They receive their regular December SSI on the 1st and their January 2026 SSI early on December 31 because January 1 is a federal holiday.

Q2 How do I know which Wednesday I get my Social Security check?
If you started benefits after May 1997, your payment date is based on your birthday: 1st–10th, second Wednesday; 11th–20th, third Wednesday; 21st–31st, fourth Wednesday.

Q3 What should I do if my payment does not show up on the scheduled date?
Confirm your correct date, check with your bank or card issuer for pending deposits, then contact Social Security if the payment is still missing after the recommended wait period.