Social Security beneficiaries, especially those who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) awards, should prepare to accommodate their finances to a change that could alter their monthly budgets, since it involves a change in date and also changes in the amounts that the beneficiaries will receive.
Most Social Security beneficiaries receive a monthly payment, but this December, some older Americans did not see their payment reflected at the beginning of the month. Additionally, certain beneficiaries will notice that their annual cost of living adjustment (COLA) will show up this month, a little earlier than usual in January.
SSI payments: One of them will arrive ahead of schedule
Even though the Social Security Administration (SSA) publishes its payment schedule in advance, the timing of payments may take some beneficiaries by surprise, either as a relief or a slight inconvenience.
For those who rely on Supplemental Security Income (SSI), an additional payment was experienced in November due to the way the calendar is structured in December. Normally, SSI is paid on the first day of the month, but since December 1st was a Sunday, beneficiaries received their checks a day early, on November 29th.
What’s notable is that they will receive a payment in December, since January 1st is a federal holiday, meaning their payment will be sent on December 31st.
Increase in benefits and scheduled payments
According to the Social Security Administration, beneficiaries who receive both Social Security and SSI will see their January payment issued on January 3. In October, a 2.5% increase was announced for the 2025 COLA, which is the smallest increase since 2021. This adjustment is related to inflation influences, and this year’s increase will be smaller than previous years due to the stabilization of prices after the pandemic.
On average, this annual adjustment is expected to increase monthly payments by about $50, bringing the average monthly Social Security check to $1,976. For many beneficiaries, this increase will be reflected in their January payments.
Since the SSI payment will be advanced to December 31 and will include the COLA adjustment, other Social Security beneficiaries will receive their payment increases throughout January:
- December 31: SSI beneficiaries will receive their January payment with the COLA included.
- January 3: Those who started receiving Social Security before May 1997 or receive both benefits will see the increase reflected.
- January 8: Beneficiaries born between January 1 and 10 will receive the adjustment.
- January 15: Those with birthdays between the 11th and 20th will see their increase.
- January 22: Those born between the 21st and 31st will receive their payment with the new adjustment.
The Social Security Administration is mailing notices to beneficiaries throughout December to inform them of the impact of the COLA on their payments. You will receive a letter explaining how this adjustment will affect your benefits.
If you have a My Social Security account set up before November 20, you will be able to log in starting in early December to view your COLA details online.