{"id":188552,"date":"2025-12-17T16:59:12","date_gmt":"2025-12-17T16:59:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/188552\/"},"modified":"2025-12-17T16:59:12","modified_gmt":"2025-12-17T16:59:12","slug":"social-security-benefits-are-going-out-wednesday-dec-17-heres-whos-getting-a-payment-today","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/188552\/","title":{"rendered":"Social Security benefits are going out Wednesday, Dec. 17: here\u2019s who\u2019s getting a payment today"},"content":{"rendered":"

Today, the U.S.\u2019s Social Security<\/a> Administration (SSA) is to issue benefits to millions of recipients across the country, in the latest payment run on the agency\u2019s distribution schedule for December 2025.<\/p>\n

Who\u2019s getting a Social Security payment today, Dec. 17?<\/p>\n

Payments are to be sent out to certain recipients of retirement benefits, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or survivor checks.<\/p>\n

Of the more than 70 million Americans who claim retirement, SSDI or survivor benefits, most are paid on the second, third or fourth Wednesday in each month. <\/p>\n

A beneficiary\u2019s designated Wednesday is determined by the date of birth of the worker whose Social Security taxes have accumulated the benefits entitlement. <\/p>\n

As it falls on the third Wednesday in December, today\u2019s payment run will cover birthdays between the 11th and 20th of each month.<\/p>\n

At a glance – Dec. schedule for 2nd, 3rd & 4th Wednesday payments:Born on 1st-10th of each month: Weds., Dec. 10Born on 11th-20th of each month: Weds., Dec. 17Born on 21st-31st of each month: Weds., Dec. 24Who isn\u2019t paid their benefits on the 2nd, 3rd or 4th Wednesday in Dec.? Some long-term Social Security recipients<\/p>\n

If you started claiming retirement, SSDI or survivor benefits before May 1997, your check typically goes out on the third day of each month, irrespective of your date of birth.<\/p>\n

These long-term beneficiaries were therefore due to be paid on December on Wednesday, Dec. 3<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The roughly 7.4 million recipients of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) – a separate SSA benefit for low-income individuals who are over 65 or have a disability – are normally paid on the first day of each month. <\/p>\n

Consequently, December\u2019s SSI payments were scheduled to be disbursed on Monday, Dec. 1<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Dual beneficiaries (SSI + regular Social Security)<\/p>\n

Just over 2.5 million people receive both SSI and one of the SSA\u2019s retirement, SSDI or survivor benefits. <\/p>\n

These dual beneficiaries were scheduled to get the former on Dec. 1, followed by the latter on Dec. 3.<\/p>\n

At a glance – Dec. payment dates not determined by birthday:SSI beneficiaries: Mon., Dec. 1Pre-May \u201997 Social Sec. recipients: Weds., Dec. 3Dual beneficiaries: SSI on Dec. 1; Social Sec. on Dec. 3<\/p>\n

You can check out the SSA\u2019s complete benefits-distribution schedule for 2025 in this online calendar<\/a>. The agency has also shared its schedule for 2026<\/a>.<\/p>\n

How much do recipients of Social Security retirement get?<\/p>\n

Retired workers – who account for the majority of the U.S.\u2019s Social Security recipients – get an average of $2,013.32 a month, per the SSA\u2019s latest figures<\/a>. The maximum monthly retirement benefit stands at $5,108 in 2025, the SSA says<\/a>.<\/p>\n

How much money is paid to disability, survivor and SSI beneficiaries?<\/p>\n

According to the SSA, disabled workers are paid an average of $1,588.52 a month, and recipients of survivor benefits get a monthly average of $1,576.20. Beneficiaries of the SSI scheme get $717.90 per month on average.<\/p>\n

COLA increase coming in 2026<\/p>\n

This fall, the SSA announced<\/a> that its beneficiaries are to get a 2.8% increase in their payments in 2026. This comes as part of the agency\u2019s annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). For Americans on retirement benefits, this will mean an an average monthly rise<\/a> of $56, the SSA says.<\/p>\n

The first recipients<\/a> of the new monthly payments will be beneficiaries of the SSI program: their January money is to be sent out on December 31 – a day earlier than normal, as New Year\u2019s Day is a federal holiday.<\/p>\n

How does the Social Security Administration make payments?<\/p>\n

The SSA says<\/a> it is \u201cin most cases\u201d no longer offering benefits recipients the option of being paid by paper check. Instead, the agency provides beneficiaries with two ways of receiving their payments electronically:<\/p>\n

By supplying the SSA with their bank details, recipients can get their benefits by direct deposit. You can update your bank-account information on the agency\u2019s \u201cmy Social Security<\/a>\u201d online portal.<\/p>\n

Recipients can also have their benefits paid onto the Direct Express Card<\/a>, a special debit card for federal disbursements made to people without a bank account.<\/p>\n

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