Over seven million Americans are to get a benefits check today, as the Social Security Administration (SAA) sends out a batch of payments slightly early.
Who’s getting a check from Social Security today, Oct. 31?
Beneficiaries of the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program are due to receive their monthly check for November, 24 hours before they would typically be paid.
SSI money is normally issued on the first of each month – unless that day falls on a weekend or a federal holiday. As November begins on a Saturday, payment has been brought forward to the nearest working day.
Who receives SSI benefits?
A program that has nearly 7.5 million beneficiaries nationwide, per the latest figures published by the SSA, SSI is aimed at people who have little to no income or resources, and are over-65 or have a disability.
Unlike Social Security schemes such as retirement benefits, survivor pay and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), eligibility for SSI does not depend on recipients’ payment of Social Security taxes. It is a needs-based, rather than contribution-based, program.
How much money do SSI recipients get each month?
SSI beneficiaries receive a monthly average of $717.84, according to the SSA. The maximum SSI amount available to an individual claimant is $967 per month. Eligible couples can get up to $1,450 a month.
Some SSI beneficiaries receive an supplementary payment from their state. You can find out which states offer this additional money on the SSA website.
SSI payments to go up in 2026 – how much by?
Along with beneficiaries of the SSA’s retirement, SSDI and survivor programs, recipients of SSI benefits are to see their monthly checks rise by 2.8% next year.
This increase was confirmed late last week, when the agency announced its latest cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) – an annual measure that seeks to ensure SSA checks keep pace with inflation.
SSI recipients will receive their first increased payment on December 31, when the SSA is due to distribute the program’s January 2026 payments.
When are other November Social Security checks being paid?
Most recipients of retirement, survivor and SSDI benefits will get next month’s money on one of three Wednesdays in November, depending on their date of birth:
- Born on 1st-10th of each month: Weds., Nov. 12
- Born on 11th-20th of each month: Weds., Nov. 19
- Born on 21st-31st of each month: Weds., Nov. 26
The three-Wednesdays schedule does not apply to any Social Security recipients who started claiming retirement, survivor or SSDI benefits before May 1997.
These long-term beneficiaries are to be paid on Monday, November 3, irrespective of their date of birth.
What if you get both SSI and regular Social Security?
If you receive both SSI and any of the retirement, SSDI or survivor benefits, you are to be paid the former on October 31 and the latter on November 3.
How does the U.S. government shutdown affect payments?
The SSA said in a statement on October 1, the day the U.S. government shutdown commenced, that the distribution of benefits “will continue with no change in payment dates”.
You can take a look the agency’s full benefits-payment schedule for 2025 in this calendar.
How does Social Security send out payments?
As the SSA bids to go full paperless, the agency now makes over 99% of payments electronically. Since September 30, indeed, the SSA says benefits recipients are “in most cases” no longer being given the option of being mailed a paper check.
There are two ways that the SSA’s beneficiaries can pick up their electronic payments:
Recipients can get their money by direct deposit, by providing the agency with their bank details. You can supply this information on the online “my Social Security” portal.
Beneficiaries can also have their benefits paid onto the Direct Express Card, a debit card for federal payments made to people without a bank account.
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