Social Security COLA increase 2026: First payment advanced to December 31, here's how much you will receive
The SSA has confirmed that January 2026 SSI payments will be expedited to December 31, 2025, due to New Year's Day being a federal holiday
The Social Security Administration (SSA) in the US has confirmed the changes for the payment for January 2026. SSI usually disburses payments on the first day of each month. However, if that day coincides with a weekend or a federal holiday, the payment is shifted to a different date. The SSI payment has been rearranged as January 1 is a federal holiday.
Who gets Social Security payments?
Around 74 million people in the US depend on Social Security benefits, while an additional seven million rely on Supplemental Security Income (SSI) to meet their monthly financial obligations.
The SSA schedules certain Social Security payments according to the birth date of the worker who earned the benefit, rather than the current recipient. The payment schedule for December 2025, organized by date of birth, is as follows:
Individuals born from 1st to the 10th: Wednesday, December 10
Individuals born from 11th to the 20th: Wednesday, December 17
Individuals born from 21st to the 31st: Wednesday, December 24
SSI and dual beneficiaries: January 2026 payment advanced to December 2025
SSI beneficiaries typically receive their payments on the first day of each month. In December, the payment was issued on Monday, the 1st. Due to the federal holiday (New Year's Day), the payment for January 2026 will be expedited and disbursed on Wednesday, December 31, 2025, with the new 2.8% higher COLA rate.
Beneficiaries who receive both SSI and Social Security payments received their SSI payment on December 1 and their Social Security payment on Wednesday, December 3. Furthermore, they will receive an additional deposit on December 31, which corresponds to the January SSI payment.
How much money Social Security beneficiaries will receive in 2025?
According to the latest data from the SSA:
Retirees: an average of $2,013.32 per month
Maximum Social Security benefit for 2025: $5,108
Disabled workers (SSDI): $1,588.52
Survivor benefits: $1,576.20
SSI beneficiaries: $717.90
