On November 26, 2025, thousands of Americans will notice a slightly more generous deposit in their bank accounts. It’s not an early Thanksgiving gift, but rather the monthly Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) payment for November, arriving just in time for those born between the 21st and 31st of any month.
For them, the fourth Wednesday is always circled in red on the calendar. Those with birthdays from the 1st to the 10th received their payment on November 12th, and those from the 11th to the 20th on November 19th; meaning many are already counting their money.
December SSDI disability benefits: The upcoming dates
The December calendar doesn’t hold any major surprises, except that the 24th falls on a Wednesday, Christmas Eve. This means that those who receive their payment on the fourth Wednesday—again, those born between the 21st and 31st—will see the money on December 24th, just when they need it most for last-minute gifts or a family dinner.
Everyone else receives their payment on the 3rd, 10th, and 17th, as usual. And note: on December 31st, the Social Security Administration advances the January SSI payment (the supplement for low-income individuals), but this doesn’t affect the regular SSDI.
New maximum SSDI in 2026 after the COLA increase
What everyone is talking about these days is exactly how much people will receive in 2025 and, above all, how much their checks will increase starting in January of next year. The maximum federal amount for SSDI in 2025 remains at $4,018 per month.
Yes, you read that right: four thousand eighteen dollars. But that needs to be clarified quickly, because almost no one reaches that amount. Only those who contributed the maximum Social Security amount for decades, and who also did so with very high salaries, reach it. The vast majority receive considerably less; the average is around $1,500-$1,600 per month.
The good news—or at least the least bad, because 2.8% isn’t exactly cause for celebration—is that the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for 2026 has been confirmed: exactly 2.8%. The Administration announced it in October, and although many expected something closer to 3%, inflation has cooled enough to keep the increase at that figure.
If we do the math quickly, the new federal maximum starting in January 2026 will be $4,152. That’s $134 more per month for those already at the top. For the average beneficiary, the increase will be around $50 per month, which isn’t going to change anyone’s life, but it does make a difference in a grocery cart.
Is the COLA enough for SSDI?
Many retirees and people with disabilities complain—and rightly so—that the COLA never fully reflects the true rise in the cost of living. The formula is based on the Consumer Price Index for urban wage earners (CPI-W).
But seniors insist that their expenses (medicine, housing, care) rise much faster than those of an active worker. The debate is repeated year after year in Congress, but changing the formula is politically toxic: it would benefit the recipients but accelerate the depletion of Social Security funds.