The next round of Social Security payments is already underway, and millions of Americans are scheduled to receive their November benefits this week.
The latest deposits will go out on Wednesday, November 26, to people whose birthdays fall between the 21st and 31st of any month.
This is part of the ongoing monthly disbursement cycle, which spaces out payments rather than sending them all on the same day.
After this week’s payout, the focus shifts immediately to December. SSI recipients are first in line with payments on Monday, December 1. On Wednesday, December 3, those who receive both Social Security and SSI will get their funds.
Payments for other beneficiaries will follow later in the month based on their birth dates: December 10 for those born between the 1st and 10th, December 17 for people born between the 11th and 20th, and December 24 for those with birthdays from the 21st to the end of the month.
If a payment is late, the Social Security Administration advises waiting up to three business days before contacting them.
How does the system work?
Most people receive their payments based on their birthdate, but there are exceptions. Those who began receiving retirement, survivor, or spousal benefits before May 1997, as well as people who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI), follow a different schedule.
SSI provides financial support to older adults with limited income and to eligible individuals who are blind or disabled.
Around 70 million people in the United States rely on the Social Security Administration for monthly income, including retirees and people living with disabilities.
Because of the size of the programme, payments are divided into multiple dates throughout the month to avoid processing delays.
Benefit amounts vary widely. What a person receives depends on their earnings history and the age they choose to file. Someone collecting benefits at age 62 can receive a maximum of $2,831 monthly.
Waiting until full retirement age, currently 67, raises the maximum to $4,018, while delaying until age 70 increases it to the highest possible benefit: $5,108 per month. As of August 2025, retired workers received an average benefit of $2,008.31.
Boost for 2026
Recipients are also looking ahead to an increase arriving next year. The SSA confirmed a 2.8 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for 2026, meant to help keep income in line with rising living costs.
For the average retiree, the increase works out to about $56 more per month.
SSA commissioner Frank J. Bisignano stated the importance of the adjustment, saying “Social Security is a promise kept, and the annual cost-of-living adjustment is one way we are working to make sure benefits reflect today’s economic realities and continue to provide a foundation of security. The cost-of-living adjustment is a vital part of how Social Security delivers on its mission,” as reported by Newsweek.
The COLA applies to all covered programs, including retirement, survivor, disability, and SSI, and higher payments will begin in January 2026.