Social Security Payment Schedule December 2026: Dates by Birthday, SSI Arrives Dec. 31
Social Security Administration (SSA) pays Dec. 9, 16 and 23 by birthday; Supplemental Security Income (SSI) for January 2027 comes Thursday, Dec. 31, 2026.
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Key dates
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The Social Security Administration (SSA) pays people with birthdays on the 1st through the 10th on Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2026, and its schedule puts January’s Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payment on Thursday, Dec. 31. Dates follow SSA’s published 2026 schedule, Publication No. 05-10031. Birthdays on the 11th through the 20th are paid Wednesday, Dec. 16, and the 21st through the 31st Wednesday, Dec. 23. Christmas, Friday, Dec. 25, moves none of them. The printable at the end of this story marks every date.
What are the Social Security payment dates in December 2026?
| Date | Who is paid |
|---|---|
| Tuesday, Dec. 1 | SSI for December |
| Thursday, Dec. 3 | Benefits started before May 1997, or Social Security plus SSI |
| Wednesday, Dec. 9 | Birthdays on the 1st to the 10th |
| Wednesday, Dec. 16 | Birthdays on the 11th to the 20th |
| Wednesday, Dec. 23 | Birthdays on the 21st to the 31st |
| Thursday, Dec. 31 | SSI for January 2027 |
SSA’s rule is that a payment due on a weekend or federal holiday is paid the business day before. No December date falls on Christmas, so none moves. Our November payment story covers the Veterans Day shift that comes first. Mark the dates on your December 2026 printable calendar.
Why does January’s SSI arrive on Dec. 31?
SSI is normally paid on the 1st. Jan. 1, 2027 is New Year’s Day, a Friday and a federal holiday, so under SSA’s early-payment rule January’s payment is made Thursday, Dec. 31, 2026. That means two SSI payments land in December, Tuesday, Dec. 1 and Thursday, Dec. 31, and none is dated in January.
When does the 3.6% COLA first appear?
Fox Business and American Broadcasting Company (ABC) News both reported on Oct. 14, 2026 that the 2027 cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) is 3.6%. It first appears in the SSI payment of Dec. 31, 2026 and in Social Security payments made in January 2027. December’s Social Security payments above are for November benefits and use 2026 amounts. Amounts and a January table are in Social Security COLA 2027 is 3.6%.
What are the January 2027 Social Security dates?
| Date | Who is paid |
|---|---|
| Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2027 | Birthdays on the 1st to the 10th |
| Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2027 | Birthdays on the 11th to the 20th |
| Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2027 | Birthdays on the 21st to the 31st |
These Wednesdays are computed from the second, third and fourth Wednesday rule. For people who started benefits before May 1997 or get both Social Security and SSI, the 3rd of the month is Sunday, Jan. 3, 2027. SSA has not confirmed that date on a page we could read, so check your SSA account. See the January 2027 printable calendar for the month.
How is your payment date set?
- Birthday on the 1st to the 10th: second Wednesday of the month.
- Birthday on the 11th to the 20th: third Wednesday.
- Birthday on the 21st to the 31st: fourth Wednesday.
- Benefits started before May 1997, or you get both Social Security and SSI: Social Security on the 3rd of the month, SSI on the 1st.
- Weekends and federal holidays: the payment moves to the business day before.
Print the December 2026 payment dates
The free one-page sheet lists each December date, including the Dec. 31 SSI payment, with the January Wednesdays in its note. Source: SSA’s 2026 payment schedule, Publication No. 05-10031.
Free printable downloads
Every template is free, needs no sign-up and prints on US Letter paper. Choose PDF for printing or PNG for screens and documents.
Social Security Payment Dates printables
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Social Security Payment Dates, Dec. 2026
December 2026 Social Security and SSI payment dates by birthday group, with the Dec. 31 SSI payment for January 2027 that includes the 3.6% COLA.
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Social Security Payment Dates, Dec. 2026 (ink saver)
December 2026 Social Security and SSI payment dates by birthday group, with the Dec. 31 SSI payment for January 2027 that includes the 3.6% COLA. Ink-saver version.
Frequently asked questions
When is Social Security paid in December 2026?
Wednesday, Dec. 9 for birthdays on the 1st through the 10th, Wednesday, Dec. 16 for the 11th through the 20th and Wednesday, Dec. 23 for the 21st through the 31st. People who started benefits before May 1997 or get both Social Security and SSI are paid Thursday, Dec. 3.
Does Christmas move any Social Security payment in 2026?
No. Christmas is Friday, Dec. 25, and no December payment date falls on it.
Why is there no SSI payment in January 2027?
Jan. 1, 2027 is New Year's Day, a federal holiday. Under SSA's early-payment rule, January's SSI is paid Thursday, Dec. 31, 2026.
When do I see the 3.6% COLA?
SSI recipients see it in the Dec. 31, 2026 payment. Social Security recipients see it in payments made in January 2027.
When do people who started benefits before May 1997 get paid in January 2027?
Jan. 3, 2027 is a Sunday. SSA has not confirmed that date on a page we could read, so check your my Social Security account.
Sources
- Schedule of Social Security Benefit Payments 2026 (Publication No. 05-10031) (Social Security Administration)
- Schedule of Social Security Payments (Social Security Administration)
- Social Security announces cost-of-living adjustment for 2027 (Fox Business, 2026-10-14)
- Social Security Administration says cost-of-living adjustment will rise 3.6% in 2027 (ABC News via WDBO, 2026-10-14)
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