The last week of December 2025 will be unusual as the Social Security funds will have a special schedule, during the peak of the holiday season. Due to how the calendar is working out this year, the Social Security Administration (SSA) is making its last wave of monthly distributions in the middle of the day on Wednesday, December 24. Though millions of beneficiaries are looking forward to the upcoming 2026 increase in the cost of living, the current checks are based on the last payments at the 2025 rates. Knowledge about those who are covered in this cycle of the week and when the next deposit will be made is important to the year-end budgeting.
Who Gets Payments on December 24?
The day of payment, Wednesday, December 24 is specifically that day designated to benefit a group of persons whose birthdays occur between the 21st and 31st of any month. This category covers retirees, survivors and individuals under disability insurance (SSDI) who claimed benefits after May 1997. The 25th is a federal holiday therefore the SSA makes sure that these funds are issued on Christmas Eve so that the family members get access to their benefits before the end of the day when the banks close. The delivery is also subject to local postal holiday hours, although direct deposit is the surest way of receiving on time to persons who are used to receiving a paper check.
The Double SSI Payment Strategy
GRCA: Supplemental Security Income (SSI) beneficiaries need to be attentive to the last days of this week. Since it will be a federal holiday on January 1, 2026 and the banks will be closed, the SSA will roll the January payment over to Wednesday, December 31, 2025. This will result in SSI beneficiaries receiving their two paid amounts in the month of December: one sent on the 1 st and the other sent on the 31 st (the 31 st payment will be their January 2026 payment). One must always keep in mind that the second check is not a bonus but the money of the next month but early in order to have no gaps in the support.
2026 COLA Modifications and New Rates
Though this week December 24 checks are calculated using 2025 amounts, the next 31 of December check to SSI recipients will be the first to add the 2.8% Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) to 2026. In the case of regular Social Security and SSDI beneficiaries, the increased payment will be issued in mid-January 2026, and will be on the usual Wednesday birth-date schedule. This 2.8 percentage growth is meant to ensure that the seniors and disabled people can afford the rising housing and health care costs and this will give a little but consistent increment to the purchasing power per month on the seniors and the disabled.
Remote Work and Remote Services
With the holidays, local Social Security offices are closing down on a long basis. The majority of the offices will be closed between Wednesday, December 24, and Sunday, December 28, and open again on Monday, December 29. At this time, there will not be face-to-face services or phone support. Nevertheless, the online portal of SSA, my Social Security is 24/7. The digital platform allows the beneficiaries to understand whether they are receiving payment, request letters of benefit eligibility or change their direct deposit details without necessarily having to come back to the offices.
The Holiday Banking and Delays
In case your payment is not posted in your account on the expected date, the SSA suggests that you will wait at least three business days after which you can report missing payment. Occasionally, the rush of the holiday season may result in a few seconds of delay in processing at some smaller banks or credit unions. Moreover, since the payments made on the 24th of December and on the 31st day of December are bound to be paid during the high-traffic banking weeks, then it is a habit to check in on your account balance using mobile banking, before making big purchases. The most effective method of making sure to be notified of any localized service interruptions is by keeping your contact details up to date on the official SSA site.
Data Overview
| Payment Date | Beneficiary Group | Notes |
| Dec 24, 2025 | Birthdays 21st–31st | Final 2025 Rate Payment |
| Dec 31, 2025 | SSI Recipients | Includes 2026 COLA |
| Jan 1, 2026 | N/A | Federal Holiday (No Deposits) |
| Jan 14, 2026 | Birthdays 1st–10th | First 2026 COLA Check |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What was the reason why I was paid twice in December?
This is only in the case of SSI recipients. Since 1 st January is a holiday, SSA will send the January payment on December 31 st. It is your January budget not an extra check.
2. Will the payment on the 24th of December be influenced by the holiday?
No, the electronical deposit will come in time, on Christmas Eve. But in-person Social Security offices will be closed during the periods of Dec 24 through Dec 28.
3. When is the 2.8% COLA rise coming?
SSI recipients see it on Dec 31, 2025. It will be reflected in the January 2026 checks of all other Social Security and SSDI beneficiaries (Jan 14, 21, or 28).
Disclaimer
This is informational content. Official payment schedule and personal account details may be found in SSA.gov or the official my Social Security portal.
