December is just around the corner, and it comes with new payments for Social Security beneficiaries. Let’s go directly to those who claimed their benefits after May 1997. The first group is for those born between the 1st and 10th of the month, whose date is the second Wednesday of December 2025, which falls on the 10th,
For those who claimed their benefits before May 1997, the fixed date is the third day of every month. They share the date with those who claim Social Security plus Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and those who reside abroad.
Social Security payments for the Third and Fourth Wednesdays
The payment schedule continues after the second Wednesday for the rest of the beneficiaries, with specific dates for those whose birthdays fall during the rest of the month.
- Third Wednesday (December 17): Beneficiaries born between the 11th and 20th of the month receive their payment.
- Fourth Wednesday (December 24): Those with birthdates between the 21st and 31st of the month receive their payment.
There might be “dual” payments for Social Security SSI recipients
A special situation arises with the regular SSI payment due on January 1, 2026. Because this date is a federal holiday, the SSA will advance this payment to Wednesday, December 31, 2025.
This means that some beneficiaries who receive both SSI and Social Security could receive three payments during the month of December: their regular December SSI payment (on December 1), their Social Security payment based on their birthday, and the advance January SSI payment.
Maximum payments and the COLA increase 2026
The maximum monthly benefit for a worker retiring in 2026 at full retirement age will be set at $4,152, an increase from $4,018 per month in 2025. This increase is a result of the 2.8% Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) officially announced for 2026.
The 2.8% COLA will apply to the benefits of nearly 71 million Social Security recipients starting in January 2026. For the approximately 7.5 million SSI recipients, the increase will begin on December 31, 2025. It is estimated that, on average, retirement benefits will increase by about $56 per month, from $2,015 to $2,071.
The SSA will notify beneficiaries of their new benefit amount by the end of November 2025. The fastest and most secure way to receive this notification is through the Message Center in your personal “my Social Security” account, which can be accessed on the institution’s official website.
The trick to increase your retirement: waiting a little big longer
If you delay receiving your Social Security retirement benefits beyond your full retirement age (FRA), you earn “delayed retirement credits,” which permanently increase your benefit amount by 8% for each year you wait, up to age 70.
This means that by waiting until age 70 to claim, you will receive your maximum possible monthly benefit, which could be up to 24-32% higher than the amount you would have received at your FRA; after age 70, the credits stop accumulating, so there is no financial incentive to delay further.
