The Social Security Administration (SSA) is to disburse benefits to millions of recipients across the U.S. next week, in the latest payment run on the agency’s distribution schedule for November 2025.
Who’s getting a Social Security payment on November 12?
Checks are to be issued to certain recipients of retirement benefits, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or survivor benefits.
Of the just over 70 million Americans who claim retirement, SSDI or survivor benefits in the U.S., most receive their money on the second, third or fourth Wednesday in each month.
A recipient’s designated Wednesday is determined by the date of birth of the worker whose Social Security taxes have accumulated the benefits entitlement.
Next Wednesday’s payments cover birthdays between the 1st and 10th of each month.
At a glance: November’s Wednesday payment schedule:Born 1st-10th of the month: Weds., Nov. 12Born 11th-20th of the month: Weds., Nov. 19Born 21st-31st of the month: Weds., Nov. 26Who isn’t paid their benefits on a Wednesday in November? Certain long-term Social Security recipients
If you started claiming retirement, SSDI or survivor benefits before May 1997, your check typically goes out on the third day of each month, regardless of your date of birth.
These long-term beneficiaries were therefore scheduled to be paid their November money on Monday, November 3.
Beneficiaries of the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) scheme – a separate SSA program for low-income individuals who are over 65 or have a disability – are normally paid on the 1st of each month.
However, as November began on a Saturday, this month’s SSI payments were issued to their nearly 7.5 million recipients a day early: on Friday, October 31.
Dual beneficiaries (SSI + regular Social Security)
Around 2.5 million people in the U.S. claim both SSI and one of the SSA’s retirement, SSDI or survivor benefits.
These recipients were due to get the former on October 31, followed by the latter on November 3.
At a glance: non-Wednesday beneficiaries in November:SSI beneficiaries: Fri., Oct. 31Pre-May ’97 Social Sec. recipients: Mon., Nov. 3Dual beneficiaries: SSI on Oct. 31; Social Sec. on Nov. 3So the shutdown isn’t holding up Social Security payments?
No: Despite the federal government shutdown, which is now the longest in U.S. history, the SSA says the distribution of benefits “will continue with no change in payment dates”.
You can take a look at the agency’s complete benefits-distribution schedule for 2025 in this online calendar.
How much are Social Security retirement benefits each month?
Retired workers – who account for the vast majority of the U.S.’s Social Security beneficiaries – receive $2,008.31 per month on average, the SSA says. The maximum monthly retirement benefit in 2025 stands at $5,108.
How much is paid to disability, survivor and SSI beneficiaries?
Disabled workers get an average of $1,582.95 a month, while recipients of survivor benefits are paid $1,575.30 a month on average. SSI beneficiaries receive an average of $717.84 a month.
Social Security to increase benefits in 2026
The SSA last month confirmed that its recipients will benefit from a 2.8% rise in their monthly payments from January 2026, as part of the agency’s annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA).
For recipients of retirement benefits, this will translate into an average monthly rise of $56, the SSA says.
How does the Social Security Administration send out benefits?
Almost all benefits checks are now paid electronically, as the SSA seeks to go fully paperless. As of September 30, the agency says recipients are “in most cases” no longer being given the option of being mailed a paper check.
The SSA gives its recipients two ways of receiving electronic payments:
Beneficiaries can get their money by direct deposit, by providing the agency with their bank details. You can supply this information on the “my Social Security” online portal.
Recipients can also have their benefits paid onto the Direct Express Card, a special debit card for federal payments made to people without a bank account.
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