Some Social Security recipients may have gotten an early New Year's Eve bounce in their bank account.

It's not a mistake, it's due to the way the days fall on the benefit program's calendar. Social Security payments for most recipients come out each month on a Wednesday. For instance, if your birthdate comes between the 1st and 10th of the month, you are paid on the second Wednesday of the month; born on the 11th to the 20th, you're paid on the third Wednesday, and so on, according to the Social Security Administration's calendar.

But those who get Supplemental Security Income (SSI) should get their payment for January 2025 on Dec. 31, 2024. SSI benefits usually come on the first of the month. But when the first falls on a weekend or a federal holiday, in this case New Year's Day, they are issued early.

More than 7.4 million Americans get SSI, which provides monthly payments beyond traditional Social Security benefits to people who may be disabled or have limited resources. About half of those who get SSI also get Social Security.

Since 99% of beneficiaries are paid electronically, the January 2025 SSI payment should arrive Tuesday, Dec. 31.

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This isn't the first or last time those SSI recipients will get payments at an unusual pace.

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When do SSI payments come out?

SSI payments are usually sent out on the first business day of each month. If the first day of the month falls on a Saturday, Sunday or legal public holiday, benefits will be paid the business day before the due date, according to the Social Security Administration.

SSI payments for December went out on Friday, Nov. 29, because Dec. 1 was a Sunday, according to the SSA calendar.

January's SSI payments always come out early because Jan. 1 is a holiday. This year, the January payments arrived on Tuesday, Dec. 31.

SSI payments: Some calendar quirks ahead

The quirks of the calendar continue into 2025. SSI recipients will get their February 2025 payment on Jan. 31, 2025, and their March 2025 payment on Feb. 28, 2025, according to the 2025 SSA calendar. That means SSI recipients will not get a payment during the calendar month of March.

In May, SSI recipients will get two checks: the May SSI payment is scheduled to be issued on May 1 and the June SSI payment on May 30, according to the SSA calendar. In June as in March, SSI beneficiaries will not get a payment in that calendar month.

Again in August, SSI recipients will get two checks – the August payment on Aug. 1 and the September payment on Aug. 29 – but no payment in the calendar month of September.

SSI payment schedule for 2025

Supplemental Security Income checks will be sent out on the following dates in 2025, according to the SSA calendar.

• 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)

What is SSI?

SSI, also known as Supplemental Security Income, provides monthly payments to those with limited income or resources who are 65 or older, blind or have a qualifying disability. Children with a qualifying disability can also get SSI, according to the SSA's website.

In general, qualifying adults don't earn more than $2,019 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.

Follow Mike Snider on X and Threads: @mikesnider & mikegsnider.

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