Beneficiaries checking their bank accounts this morning may find a scheduled deposit from the Social Security Administration. While many government offices are closing for the holiday season, the automated payment system remains active. For a specific group of retirees and disability recipients, today marks the final payment date of the 2025 calendar year.
Understanding why funds are arriving today requires looking at the standardized payment schedule used by the SSA. This schedule ensures that millions of payments are distributed evenly throughout the month rather than all at once. If you are among the group expecting money today, this deposit helps cover essential end-of-year expenses just before the Christmas holiday.
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Who Is Receiving Money Today
The payment arriving today is strictly for beneficiaries whose birth dates fall between the 21st and the 31st of any given month. This applies to those receiving retirement, disability, or survivor benefits who started their claims after May 1997. If your birthday is earlier in the month, you likely received your funds on December 10 or December 17.
Because today is the fourth Wednesday of December, it serves as the designated payday for this specific birthday group. This schedule remains consistent regardless of the holiday season, ensuring that eligible recipients have access to their funds without delay.
Impact of Executive Order on Banking
There has been some confusion regarding banking hours due to a recent executive order closing federal executive departments on December 24 and December 26. While this order gives many federal employees time off, it does not mandate a shutdown of the commercial banking system. The Federal Reserve payment systems remain operational today.
This means that direct deposits for Social Security should process as normal. While some local bank branches might close early for Christmas Eve, the electronic transfer of funds into your account is automated and typically unaffected by these specific federal closures. However, if you need to speak to someone at the SSA, field offices are likely closed due to the executive order.
Why This Payment Amount Looks the Same
Recipients might be wondering if today’s check includes the widely discussed Cost-of-Living Adjustment for the new year. It is important to clarify that the payment arriving today still reflects the 2025 benefit rate. The adjustment for inflation does not kick in until the first payment of the 2026 calendar year.
For most people receiving checks today, the new higher amount will not appear until their next scheduled deposit in January. Today’s funds are the final installment of the current year’s rate, helping beneficiaries close out their 2025 financial obligations.
Upcoming Schedule for SSI Recipients
While retirement beneficiaries are getting paid today, those on Supplemental Security Income have a different timeline. SSI recipients should expect their next deposit on December 31. This payment is actually the January 2026 benefit arriving early because January 1 is a federal holiday.
This split schedule means that while some retirees get paid today, SSI recipients and those with combined benefits will see their funds on New Year’s Eve. This December 31 payment will be the first to include the 2026 cost-of-living increase for SSI beneficiaries.
Key Payment Facts
- Payments today are for birth dates from the 21st to the 31st.
- The Federal Reserve system is open for processing deposits.
- Today’s payment does not yet include the 2026 COLA increase.
- SSA field offices are closed due to the executive order.
- The next SSI payment is scheduled for December 31.
December 2025 Payment Schedule
The following table outlines the distribution dates for all Social Security benefits this month.
| Beneficiary Group | Payment Date |
| SSI Recipients | December 1 and December 31 |
| Filed Before May 1997 | December 3 |
| Birthdays 1st to 10th | December 10 |
| Birthdays 11th to 20th | December 17 |
| Birthdays 21st to 31st | December 24 (Today) |
