December will bring a small but welcome change for those who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Two payments will be made in a single month because of a calendar anomaly. Better yet, the new cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for 2026 will be reflected in the second deposit.
In other words, some money will come in early and will be a little bit more than before. In order to help you plan more confidently and with less stress if you rely on SSI to cover necessities, it’s important to know what and when is this hapenning.
Who gets two payments in december?
SSI is one of the Social Security Administration’s programs for low-income people who are 65 years of age or older, blind, or disabled. And this benefit is provided to approximately 7.4 million individuals.
SSI typically makes payments on the first day of each month instead of on weekends or federal holidays. Recipients will benefit from an exception in December 2025.
• Regular December payment: Monday, December 1.
• January payment, paid early: Wednesday, December 31, because January 1, 2026 is a federal holiday.
Although the second deposit technically counts for January, both of these deposits land in December. This is what the system does to avoid delays. In order to avoid the New Year’s Day holiday, the January payment was advanced by one day; it is not a bonus.
Other Social Security programs coexist with SSI. Approximately 74 million Americans will rely on Social Security in one way or another by 2025. However, because of the timing rule, only SSI beneficiaries receive the two December deposits.
How much and what changes with COLA?
SSI eligible individuals can receive up to $967 per month in 2025, while couples can receive up to $1,450. Although the precise amount varies depending on individual circumstances, the national average benefit is roughly $718 per month. In general, earned income cannot be more than $2,019 per month to be eligible; children with disabilities may also be eligible.
The 2026 COLA is included in the early deposit that will arrive on December 31. In order to combat inflation, the Social Security Administration confirmed a 2.8% increase for 2026. The average benefit of $718 increases to about $738 after that adjustment. The maximum for an individual increases from $967 to $994.
What about retirees and people who receive disability benefits under other Social Security programs? Their COLA does not show up until January 2026. Their payment timing depends on birth dates:
- January 14: for those who were born between 1st and the 10th.
- January 21: for those who were born between the 11th and the 20th.
- January 28: for those who were born on the 21st or later.
If you receive both SSI and another Social Security benefit, you will see that only the SSI portion arrives twice in December. For the COLA, the other benefit operates according to its usual January schedule.
What happens after december?
SSI beneficiaries won’t get another payment until January 30, 2026, following the two December deposits. The SSI payment for February is delayed to the last working day of January because February 1st falls on a Sunday. Mapping out bills over these dates can be useful. The January 30 deposit corresponds with February’s expenses, while the December 31 deposit is intended to cover January’s needs.
This is not the first time it happens this year, over the summer, there’s was another double payment as well. If you rely on SSI, pay attention to the dates of your deposits and think about creating reminders. When two payments are received in the same month, a calendar check can really help not to get confused with the amounts you’re receiving.
Is not that you are getting more money, is that it arrives a little earlier, and putting the December 31 deposit as January funds, can make budgeting much more predictable.