Several weeks ago, the Social Security Administration (SSA) announced that the cost of living adjustment ((also called COLA)) for 2025 will be 2.5%, significantly lower than the 3.2% applied for 2024, and represents the lowest adjustment in recent years. Despite its small value, the 2025 COLA remains a necessary and urgent mechanism to maintain the purchasing power of beneficiaries against the inflation.
The SSA groups Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) beneficiaries on three dates each month, which coincide with the payments of other benefits. The cataloguing is done according to the beneficiary’s date of birth.
Who qualifies for SSDI in 2025: Guidelines and requirements
As you already know, SSDI payments are intended for people who meet certain requirements and are disabled. The first requirement is to have a severe disability that prevents you from performing any type of substantial work for an extended period of time or that results in death.
The second requirement is to have worked enough and paid the respective Social Security taxes, which are counted as “work credits.” Generally, 40 credits are needed, which is equivalent to approximately 10 years of work. The amount of money you need to earn to get credit changes every year. In 2024, for example, you need to earn $1,730 to get a credit.
Social Security will evaluate the nature and severity of the disability, as well as the person’s ability to perform jobs they have previously performed or for which they can be trained. The worker’s spouse may also be beneficiaries of SSDI as long as he or she is over 62 years of age or has a disability, as well as unmarried children under 18 years of age or full-time students under 19 years of age, or those who are disabled and whose disability began before turning 22 years of age.
SSDI payments in December 2024: three dates and one change announced
The three payment dates for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) beneficiaries are already defined by the SSA, but there is a small change previously announced since the beginning of the year. This is a movement of one of three payment dates based on the agency’s policy of not sending payments on weekends or holidays.
- December 11: Payments will go to those born between the 1st and 10th of any month.
- December 18: Beneficiaries born between the 11th and the 20th will receive their payments on this date.
- December 25: Those born between the 21st and the 31st will get their check on the last Wednesday of the month.
There was also a change in the payment of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits, which are usually paid on the first of each month, but which, in the case of December, was brought forward to November 29 due to the same policy of holidays and SSA weekends. In the month of January 2025, SSDI payments will not be affected by any holidays or weekends, meaning they will be paid on the second, third, and fourth Wednesday of the month in an absolutely normal manner.