People who get Social Security may have noticed that they are going to get an extra SSI check in November.
The small change on the Social Security Administration’s calendar may not come as a surprise to people who closely follow the 2024 Schedule, which lists the dates for different types of payments throughout the year.
For people who are used to getting money once a month, though, the change can be hard to understand.
The calendar is a simple way to explain it. This year, more than 7 million people are getting SSI benefits, though, which can make even small changes hard. There will not be an SSI check in December for the same reason there were two checks in November.
The new date on which retirees will receive their $943 SSI check
Because of a change in the schedule, people who get Supplemental Security Income will get two checks in November.
SSI benefits, which are payments for disabled and elderly people with low incomes, are usually sent out on the first business day of every month.
This year, December 1 is a Sunday, so SSA will send December SSI payments on the Friday before that day. As a result, SSI checks will be sent out on the following dates in November:
- November 1st (Friday)
- November 29th (Friday)
Extra help from the government, called SSI, is not the same as retirement benefits. The American Association of Retired Persons said that Social Security gives out SSI funds but does not pay them.
The main source of money for retirement and SSDI benefits is income taxes. The National Treasury and state-specific supplements pay for SSI.
People who are disabled or elderly and make less than a certain amount of money can get SSI. There are many things that determine who is eligible, but the SSA says that adults or children may be able to get benefits if they:
- Low income
- Little or no resources
- 65 years or older
- A disability or blindness condition
If both individuals and couples meet the requirements, the highest monthly benefit that can be given is $943 for individuals and $1,415 for couples in 2024.
SSI benefits are not the same as “disability” benefits, which are based on work history and are different from disability benefits.
After working for enough years to qualify, people with disabilities who have paid enough in income taxes to qualify for Social Security get payments from SSDI. Still, you do not need to have worked in the past to get an SSI check.
Will the SSI check increase as well as Social Security benefits in 2025?
Social Security said in early October that the cost of living adjustment (COLA) for 2025 will be 2.5%, which is less than the 3.2% increase for 2024. In January 2025, the average beneficiary will get $1,907 a month.
The following year, they will get $1,957, which is a $50 increase. The annual COLA keeps beneficiaries’ purchasing power from being lowered by inflation.
The amount of money you get depends on a lot of things, like how many years you worked, how much you paid in Social Security taxes, and when you retired.
- Retired Workers: Around $1,907 per month.
- Retired couples (filing jointly): Approximately $3,303 per month
- Survivor benefits: An average of $1,509.50 per month
- Spouses of Retired Workers: Average of $910 per month.
- Children of Retired Workers: A monthly average of $892
- SSI Beneficiaries (Individuals): Monthly average of $943
- SSI beneficiaries (couples): average of $1,415 per month.
You can also use the Social Security Administration’s Quick Benefit Calculator or North State Bank’s Inflation Adjustment Calculator to get an idea of how much your likely Social Security COLA payment will be in 2025.
Remember that you can look at this year’s Social Security payment schedule or log in to your My Social Security Account to get more information. There, you can download financial statements and ask for more work to be done on your SSI check or Social Security.
