Next week, the Social Security Administration (SSA) is to send out benefits to certain recipients across the U.S., in what is the final payment run on the agency’s schedule for November 2025.
Who’s getting a Social Security check on Nov. 26?
Payments are to be distributed to particular recipients of retirement benefits, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or survivor checks.
Of the approximately 70 million Americans who receive retirement, SSDI or survivor benefits, most are paid on the second, third or fourth Wednesday in each month.
A beneficiary’s designated Wednesday is determined by the date of birth of the worker whose Social Security taxes have accumulated the benefits entitlement.
November 26’s payments cover birthdays between the 21st and 31st of each month. Next week’s distribution date follows payment runs on the past two Wednesdays – November 12 and 19; together, they accounted for birthdays between the first and 20th of each month.
At a glance – Nov. 2025’s Wednesday payment schedule:
- Born on 1st-10th of month: Weds., Nov. 12
- Born on 11th-20th of month: Weds., Nov. 19
- Born on 21st-31st of month: Weds., Nov. 26
Who isn’t paid their benefits on a Wednesday in Nov.?
- Some long-term Social Security beneficiaries
If you began receiving retirement, SSDI or survivor benefits before May 1997, your check typically goes out on the third day of each month, irrespective of your date of birth.
These long-term beneficiaries were therefore scheduled to be paid their November money on Monday, November 3.
- SSI recipients
The 7.5 million beneficiaries of the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) scheme – a separate SSA program for low-income individuals who are over 65 or have a disability – are normally paid on the first day of each month.
However, as November began on a Saturday, this month’s SSI payments were made early: on Friday, October 31.
- Dual beneficiaries (SSI + regular Social Security)
Around 2.5 million people in the U.S. claim both SSI and one of the SSA’s retirement, SSDI or survivor benefits.
These recipients were scheduled to get the former on October 31, followed by the latter on November 3.
At a glance: non-Wednesday beneficiaries in Nov.:
- SSI recipients: Fri., Oct. 31
- Pre-May ’97 Social Sec. beneficiaries: Mon., Nov. 3
- Dual recipients: SSI on Oct. 31; Social Sec. on Nov. 3
You can take a look at the SSA’s full benefits-distribution schedule for 2025 in this online calendar.
How much is paid to recipients of Social Security retirement benefits?
Retired workers – who make up the majority of the U.S.’s Social Security beneficiaries – receive $2,008.31 per month on average, the SSA says. The maximum monthly retirement check in 2025 is $5,108.
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How much do disability, survivor and SSI beneficiaries get?
Disabled workers are paid $1,582.95 per month on average, while recipients of survivor benefits get a monthly average of $1,575.30. Beneficiaries of the SSI program get $717.84 per month on average.
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Benefits to go up in 2026
In October, the SSA announced that its beneficiaries will get a 2.8% increase in their monthly payments, beginning in January 2026. This comes as part of the agency’s annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA).
For recipients of Social Security retirement pay, this will lead to an average pay rise of $56 per month, the SSA says.
How does the SSA send out benefits?
Almost all benefits checks are now issued electronically, as the SSA bids to goes fully paperless. As of September 30, the agency says beneficiaries are “in most cases” no longer being given the option of receiving a paper check in the mail.
The SSA offers beneficiaries two ways of receiving electronic payments:
- Direct deposit
Beneficiaries can get their money by direct deposit, by providing the agency with their bank details. You can supply this information on the “my Social Security” online portal.
- Debit Express Card
Recipients can also have their benefits paid onto the Direct Express Card, a special debit card for federal payments made to people who do not have a bank account.
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