Social Security recipients won’t receive a bonus payment in December

In 1935, Social Security was created to pay retired workers age 65 or older a continuing income after retirement. Now, 1 in 5 Americans receives a Social Security benefit from the U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).

Typically, these are payments that come on a set date each month. But a VERIFY viewer sent a text to our team asking if Social Security recipients will get a bonus payment in December.

THE QUESTION

Will Social Security recipients receive a bonus payment in December?

THE SOURCES

• Social Security Administration (SSA)
• AARP

THE ANSWER

No, Social Security recipients will not receive a bonus payment in December. 

Millions of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients will receive two payments in December, but the second is not an extra payment. Instead, the second deposit is just the January payment a couple of days early.

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WHAT WE FOUND

Social Security payments are sent out on a strict schedule. Most recipients get their payments on the second, third or fourth Wednesday of each month, depending on their birth date. 

But AARP says people who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI), such as those who are blind, disabled, or at least 65 years old with very limited financial resources, typically get those payments on the first of the month. This can be a problem if the first falls on a weekend or federal holiday when banks are closed, like it does on Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023. 

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As a workaround, SSI payments are sent out the next earliest business day. So this year, SSI recipients will get paid on Dec. 1 and Dec. 30. But the latter payment is for January 2023.

Earlier this year, SSI recipients received two payments in April and September (those latter payments were for May and October). AARP says that the same schedule adjustment also applies to other Social Security payments if the date falls on a holiday. You can see the full schedule of payments for 2022 and 2023 here.