Social Security benefit payments in the United States are distributed monthly, and beneficiaries receive their money on different days depending on their date of birth. In general, there are three groups, the first being retirees who wait for their money on the second Wednesday of each month. Then there are two more groups, who receive their checks on the third and fourth Wednesdays.
By December 2024, specifically December 11, payments will be made for the first group of those beneficiaries who are born between the 1st and 10th of each month. This is just a part of the more than 68 million beneficiaries of pensions and other benefits such as disability (SSDI), or Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
The 3 December Social Security retirement payment dates
As we said, payments are made each month on the second, third, and fourth Wednesday of the month, and in December 2024, the corresponding dates are as follows:
- Payment Date of the first group: December 11, 2024. It is for beneficiaries born between the 1st and 10th of any month, and they will receive their payments on this day. Includes retirement, disability and survivor benefits.
- Second group payment date: December 18, 2024. It is for beneficiaries born between the 11th and 20th of any month and will receive their payments on December 18, and the same types of beneficiaries as the first group receive their deposits.
- Third group payment date: December 24, 2024. It is for beneficiaries born between the 21st and 31st of any month, and the same types of beneficiaries will receive their money as in the other groups. In this case, it is not Wednesday without Tuesday, and it was advanced this way by the SSA because December 25 is a holiday.
How to get the maximum of $4,873 from Social Security
To receive $4,873 in December, you must have worked for 35 years in SSA-covered jobs, apply at age 70, and have accumulated base contributions and benefits during that time. Achieving this amount is actually more difficult, as few Americans can earn the taxable limit over 35 years.
Deferring retirement until age 70 is an excellent way to receive an additional 24% of Social Security, and everything will depend on your financial maneuverability to wait a couple more years to retire and thus receive a much larger check each month.
It should be mentioned that not all Americans receive the same amount of Social Security benefits, nor do they all qualify to receive them. The average amount, which is $1,927, will not change until January 2025, when the new cost of living adjustment (COLA) goes into effect. This increment is set to be 2.5%, lower than the previous 3.2% decreed for 2024.