Some Social Security beneficiaries may get an unexpected extra check this month – it’s not a mistake; it’s more of a quirk of the calendar.
A select group of people are set to receive three payments for the month of November due to an oddity of the calendar, which impacted the number of checks sent and the dates they were sent out. Specifically, those who get Social Security as well as Supplemental Security Income also known as SSI.
More than 7.4 million Americans receive Supplemental Security Income, which provides monthly payments beyond traditional Social Security benefits to people who may be disabled or have limited resources.
Because of the way the days of the month play out in December, SSI recipients will receive that monthly payment a bit early, on Friday, Nov. 29 – in addition to the two other payments already sent out this month, according to a calendar by the Social Security Administration.
The oddities in the calendar will continue through 2025, impacting payments distributed in January, February, May and August.
‘Calendar quirks’ to blame for early SSI payments in the new year
A number of calendar quirks are expected to continue through the new year, which are set to impact the number of checks each month and the dates they will be sent out.
SSI recipients will actually get their first SSI check of the new year on Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024 because the first business day in January 2025 is New Year’s Day, a federal holiday.
That same pattern of payments arriving the day before a new month starts will continue into February 2025, because SSI beneficiaries are scheduled to get their March payment on Feb. 28. But that means SSI recipients will not get a payment during the calendar month of March.
SSI recipients will then receive two checks in May since the monthly payment for that month will be issued on Thursday, May 1, and the payment for June on Friday, May 30. Therefore, SSI recipients will not receive a payment for the month of June. The same thing will happen again in August, two checks for that month and September, but no payment for the calendar month of September.
What does SSI stand for? And what is it?
SSI, also known as Supplemental Security Income, provides monthly payments those with limited income who are 65 or older, blind, have a qualifying disability or have children with a qualifying disability, according to the SSA’s website.
In general, qualifying adults don’t earn more than $1,971 from work each month.
If you or someone you know thinks they may be eligible for SSI, you can begin the application process online, in person at your local Social Security office, or by calling 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) between 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. local time during the work week.
SSI payment schedule for the rest of this year and through 2025
Supplemental Security Income checks will be sent out on the following dates for the rest of this calendar year and through 2025.
The calendars for both 2024 and 2025 are linked, for those interested in taking a closer look at key dates.
- Friday, Nov. 29, 2024 (Check for December 2024)
- Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024 (Check for January 2025)
- Friday, Jan. 31, 2025 (Check for February 2025)
- Friday, Feb. 28, 2025 (Check for March 2025)
- Tuesday, April 1, 2025 (Check for April 2025)
- Thursday, May 1, 2025 (Check for May 2025)
- Friday, May 30, 2025 (Check for June 2025)
- Tuesday, July 1, 2025 (Check for July 2025)
- Friday, Aug. 1, 2025 (Check for August 2025)
- Friday, Aug. 30, 2025 (Check for September 2025)
- Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025 (Check for October 2025)
- Friday, Oct. 31, 2025 (Check for November 2025)
- Monday, Dec. 1, 2025 (Check for December 2025)
- Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025 (Check for January 2026)
