OHIO — Some Social Security beneficiaries who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) are in for an unusual month in November, as they’re set to receive three checks.
This isn’t a mistake, but rather a result of how the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) payment schedule aligns with the calendar.
For those eligible, the first SSI payment for November is due on Nov. 1. Then, recipients will receive their regular Social Security retirement benefits according to the usual Wednesday schedule.
Later in the month, they’ll get an early December SSI payment on Nov. 29, as Dec. 1 falls on a Sunday this year.
More than 7.4 million Americans depend on SSI, which supplements Social Security for individuals with limited income and resources.
The unusual payment schedule means they will receive their December SSI payment early, creating three total payments in November.
This calendar quirk continues into early 2025. With the first business day of January falling on New Year’s Day, another federal holiday, SSI beneficiaries will receive their January payment on Dec. 31, 2024.
Following that, February’s payment will arrive on Jan. 31, 2025, and March’s on Feb. 28, meaning no payment will be issued in March itself.
A similar pattern will occur in May and August of 2025. SSI recipients will receive two checks in May, covering both the monthly May payment on May 1 and an early June payment on May 30, resulting in no check in June.
In August, the September payment will be issued early on Aug. 29, meaning no payment will arrive in September.
These shifts underscore the importance of SSI recipients planning around these payment anomalies to manage their budgets throughout the year.