The Social Security Administration (SSA) is to send out benefits to certain recipients across the U.S. next week, in the next payment run on the agency’s November 2025 distribution schedule.
Who’s getting a Social Security check on Wednesday, Nov. 19?
Next Wednesday, checks are to be disbursed to a particular group of Americans who claim retirement benefits, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or survivor pay.
Of the 70 million people who get retirement, SSDI or survivor benefits in the U.S., most are paid 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.
November 19’s payments cover birthdays between the 11th and 20th of each month. This follows last Wednesday’s payment run (November 12), which applied to birthdays between the first and 10th of each month.
At a glance: November’s Wednesday payment schedule:Born on 1st-10th of month: Weds., Nov. 12Born on 11th-20th of month: Weds., Nov. 19Born on 21st-31st of month: Weds., Nov. 26
Who doesn’t get their benefits on a Wednesday in November? Certain long-term Social Security beneficiaries
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) program – a separate SSA scheme for low-income individuals who are over 65 or have a disability – are normally paid on the first day 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 recipients: Fri., Oct. 31Pre-May ’97 Social Sec. beneficiaries: Mon., Nov. 3Dual recipients: SSI on Oct. 31; Social Sec. on Nov. 3
You can take a look at the agency’s complete benefits-distribution schedule for 2025 in this online calendar.
Social Security payments continued during shutdown
The U.S.’s record-breaking government shutdown finally ended late on Wednesday – but the 43-day-long stoppage did not prevent Social Security payments from going out during October and the first 12 days of November.
On October 1, the day the shutdown began, the SSA had reassured recipients that the distribution of benefits would continue “with no change in payment dates”.
Payments were uninterrupted because the SSA receives mandatory funding through the Social Security Act.
How much money do recipients of Social Security retirement get?
Retired workers – who account for most of the U.S.’s Social Security beneficiaries – are paid $2,008.31 per month on average, the SSA says. The maximum monthly retirement check is currently $5,108.
How much is paid to disability, survivor and SSI beneficiaries?
Disabled workers are paid an average of $1,582.95 a month, while recipients of survivor benefits get a monthly average of $1,575.30. Beneficiaries of the SSI scheme receive $717.84 a month on average.
Social Security to increase benefits
Late last month, the SSA 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 pay, this will mean an average monthly hike of $56, the SSA says.
How does the Social Security Administration make benefits payments?
Almost all benefits checks are now paid electronically, as the SSA goes fully paperless. As of September 30, the agency says beneficiaries are “in most cases” no longer being given the option of receiving a paper check in the mail.
The SSA offers its beneficiaries 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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