Q & A

I receive my Social Security retirement on the fourth Wednesday of each month. The fourth Wednesday of December happens to be Christmas Day. When will I receive my benefit this month?

Answer: Your benefit will be received on Dec. 24.

If a regularly scheduled Social Security check is due on a weekend or holiday, you will receive it on the preceding business day. You can see the “Schedule of Social Security Benefit Payments” for December and all of 2014 by visiting our website at www.social<code_dp displayname=”code_dp” name=”code_dp”>security.gov/pubs/calendar <code_dp displayname=”code_dp” name=”code_dp”>.htm.

Social Security pays retirement and spousal benefits the month after they are due to start. For example, if your benefit start month is November, we will pay November’s benefit in December.

The payment date is determined by the birthday of the retired worker. For example, if the retired worker’s date of birth is on the 1st through 10th, then we pay the benefits on the second Wednesday of the month; the 11th through 20th, we pay the benefits on the third Wednesday of the month; and the 21st through 31st, we pay the benefits on the fourth Wednesday of the month.

Source: Oscar Garcia, mySanAntonio.com – December 6, 2013

Comments On This Topic

    • Bernice:

      Thanks for contacting us. Social Security Retirement Benefits are paid based on birthdate. For birthdays on the 1st through the 10th, payments are made on the 2nd Wednesday of the month; for birthdays on the 11th through the 20th, on the 3rd Wednesday; and for birthdays on the 21st to the end of the month, on the 4th Wednesday. Judging from your question, you are in the last grouping, so your payment would be made on December 23 (the fourth Wednesday). Since that’s not a holiday, there would be no change in the date the payment is made.

      If we can answer any other questions for you, please contact our Social Security Advisory Service at 888-750-2622 or via email at [email protected].

      Gerry Hafer, AMAC Foundation Social Security Advisor

      CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: The opinions and interpretations expressed in this message are the viewpoints of the message’s author, a trained advisor accredited under the National Social Security Advisors program of the National Social Security Association, LLC (NSSA). The author, the NSSA, and the AMAC Foundation are not affiliated with or endorsed by the United States Government, the Social Security Administration, or any other state government.

  1. My husband received his SSDI check on the 3rd of every month. His check for September of this year 2019 actually was in our account on the 30th of August even though the 3rd didn’t fall on a holiday since Labor day was the 2nd. My question is will his check for January 3rd of 2020 go into our account early like it did back for his Sept pmt.

  2. I’m with the others. I need my check! What is a week difference once a year!?!? People need to buy gifts for their children. I know I’m going to get someone who will say well you should have done that already. Well in my case I couldn’t. I’ve been in and out of the hospital for the last month. Driving 4 hrs to the hospital. I’m lucky I have a husband. But there are others who aren’t so lucky. Don’t get me wrong. He only worked ONE day a week certain weeks! That hurts your pocketbook! I have Bill’s to pay, food to buy, and gifts! We are only for one time a year!!!! Have a HEART!!!!

    • If you receive your payment on the 4th Wednesday of the month, which happens to be Christmas this year, you will receive it on Christmas Eve, December 24th.

      • I receive my check on the fourth Wednesday of the month, but it’s Christmas and my credit union is closed both Christmas Eve and Christmas day. When will I get it

        • Chancey:

          From SSA.gov: “If the Wednesday regularly scheduled for payment delivery falls on a Federal legal holiday, benefits will be paid on the first preceding day that is not a Federal legal holiday.” Based on that direction, your payment should post today (12/23).

          Gerry Hafer
          AMAC Foundation, Inc.
          888-750-2622

          • I didn’t receive mine today I normally receive it every 25th of the month but last month November I received the payment on the 22nd of the month

  3. My birthday is 12/31 I receive my ss check on the 4th Wednesday. Since Christmas is the 4th Wednesday this year (2019) when will I get my ss check

  4. My ssi direct depost go temporarily suspended due to an address update. That was on the 3 Wednesday of December. They said it would be 2 to 3 buisness days for the reissue deposit. Friday no deposit. Will i still get it on Xmas eve?

  5. If you get your SSdi on the 26. Xmas eve is the Monday and xmas is the Tuesday. And ss is closed those 2 days. When will we get it?

    • Dale:

      Thanks for the question. The Social Security Administration on December 19 officially announced “offices will be closed on Monday, December 24, and Tuesday, December 25.” Subsequent clarifications posted at various sources indicate individual agency heads will decide who gets the day off and who doesn’t, which suggests that some SS staffers will be required to work to ensure that payment schedules are met. So, it’s our expectation that there won’t be an interruption of payment schedules. The physical offices might be closed, but for the Christmas Holidays that’s probably not much of a concern, since the issuance of payments is a highly automated process. In any event, the “official” payment schedule will likely continue to be the fourth Wednesday, or December 26th. See the “Schedule of Social Security Payments” posted by the Social Security Administration. This is all conjecture on our part, since we are not affiliated with the Social Security Administration or any individual banks.

      Gerry Hafer
      SocialSecurityReport.org
      AMAC Foundation, Inc.

  6. my husband was born on the 22nd of July. we live in NH. His S.S has been getting deposited into our acct. on the 4 MONDAY of the month.
    since Monday is x-mas eve, will his check be coming on Monday?? or before??

  7. I hate to bring this up again after all the questions but….I also receive my benefits on the 4th Wed of every month. I have noticed that my benefits are sent to my account at 10 pm central time the night before (so at 10 pm ct on the 4th Tuesday my payment for the 4th Wed goes through). So you are saying that my benefits will still be transferred as normal, right? So on Christmas night at 10 pm, my funds will be sent to my bank? It appears to me that if the payments are to be made as scheduled according to THIS trend that I have noticed for years then my payment may actually be delayed, as it would normally be sent to me on December 25th 10 pm CT.

  8. If direct deposit has to be initiated on a business day (non holiday) it would stand to reason 4 th week SS payments should post the night of the 24th. Of course the SS payment calendar never addresses these situations but past experiences should be an indication.

    • Wasn’t there a recent executive order signed a couple of days ago that confirmed December 24th as a federal holiday from now on? If so, then that means December 21st is the last business day that this could be applicable. So I suppose those that get paid on the 4th Weds will find out tomorrow at midnight.

  9. so dose it depends on the bank or social Security when the disable checks will be sent out banks are close on Christmas so is social Security will it come Monday before Christmas

  10. It really a SAD SITUATION!!! What is it going to take for Social Security to make those adjustments to pay our benefits before Christmas. You are taking out the Christ out of Christmas! That is so heartless. It only comes once a year. God help us all. No food or gifts for Christmas. That’s not Christ-like.

  11. I get my retrement check on the fourth wednesday of each month christmas is the day before the fourth wednesday12-26 -2018 do i get my check before the 26 of december 2018

    • Juan:

      Thanks for your question. As noted in prior responses to this issue, since Christmas Day is a Tuesday this year, the schedule for receipt of your payment will continue to be the fourth Wednesday, or December 26th. See the “Schedule of Social Security Payments” posted by the Social Security Administration. With the funds being transferred electronically, the actual posting of the deposit to you account will be handled in accordance with your bank’s established procedures for handling electronic transactions. Unfortunately, these procedures vary from bank to bank, so you might want to pose this question directly to your bank.

      Gerry Hafer
      AMAC Foundation, Inc.

      CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: The contents of this message, including any attachments, are confidential and are intended solely for the use of the person or entity to whom the message was addressed. If you are not the intended recipient of this message, please be advised that any dissemination, distribution, forwarding, printing, copying, or use of the contents of this message, and any attached documentation, is strictly prohibited. If you received this message in error, please notify the sender. Please also permanently delete all copies of the original message and any attached documentation. The opinions and interpretations expressed in this message are the viewpoints of the message’s author, a trained advisor accredited under the National Social Security Advisors program of the National Social Security Association, LLC (NSSA). The author, the NSSA, and the AMAC Foundation are not affiliated with or endorsed by the United States Government, the Social Security Administration, or any other state government.

  12. i for one feel the same i am in the same situation but i look at it this way i get it on the 26th i get to hit all the after christmas deals them trying to get rid of the stuff that didn’t sale before christmas either way nothing we can do about it so we just make do i am on disability so i feel the crunch also.

  13. This is a major problem for people that received payment on the 4th Wednesday, which means that you will get your pay after, the sad part is people don’t have no other way but family are loans, why can’t they adjust in this type of issues, God bless the people that don’t have no other way

    • Judy:

      Since Christmas Day is actually a Tuesday this year, the schedule for receipt of your payment will continue to be the fourth Wednesday, or December 26th. See the “Schedule of Social Security Payments” posted by the Social Security Administration.

      Gerry Hafer
      AMAC Foundation, Inc.

      CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: The contents of this message, including any attachments, are confidential and are intended solely for the use of the person or entity to whom the message was addressed. If you are not the intended recipient of this message, please be advised that any dissemination, distribution, forwarding, printing, copying, or use of the contents of this message, and any attached documentation, is strictly prohibited. If you received this message in error, please notify the sender. Please also permanently delete all copies of the original message and any attached documentation. The opinions and interpretations expressed in this message are the viewpoints of the message’s author, a trained advisor accredited under the National Social Security Advisors program of the National Social Security Association, LLC (NSSA). The author, the NSSA, and the AMAC Foundation are not affiliated with or endorsed by the United States Government, the Social Security Administration, or any other state government.

  14. ;if I receive my social security payment on the 4th Wednesday every month when will I get it for December 2018 as Christmas falls on the day before Tuesday.

    • John:

      Since Christmas Day is actually a Tuesday this year, the schedule for receipt of your payment will continue to be the fourth Wednesday, or December 26th. See the “Schedule of Social Security Payments” posted by the Social Security Administration.

      Gerry Hafer
      AMAC Foundation, Inc.

      CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: The contents of this message, including any attachments, are confidential and are intended solely for the use of the person or entity to whom the message was addressed. If you are not the intended recipient of this message, please be advised that any dissemination, distribution, forwarding, printing, copying, or use of the contents of this message, and any attached documentation, is strictly prohibited. If you received this message in error, please notify the sender. Please also permanently delete all copies of the original message and any attached documentation. The opinions and interpretations expressed in this message are the viewpoints of the message’s author, a trained advisor accredited under the National Social Security Advisors program of the National Social Security Association, LLC (NSSA). The author, the NSSA, and the AMAC Foundation are not affiliated with or endorsed by the United States Government, the Social Security Administration, or any other state government.

  15. My 6 year old son will not have Santa Claus or Christmas this year because of my widow benefit and his survivor benefit being the 4th Wednesday of every month. This has never happened before. Honestly, I realized this today and am up at past 2 a.m. after both of us just recovering from illness. I feel that this is unfair in so many ways. Maybe others have families that help when there are occurrences such as this! Is there no way to have our direct deposit at least Christmas Eve???? We have bills to pay and I have become saddened to a point I don’t know how to even cope with.

    • Leslie,
      While we’re very sympathetic to your plight, please note that we are not part of the Social Security Administration but rather a free Social Security advisory service of The AMAC Foundation. As you may know, Social Security benefits are normally paid on either the 2nd, 3rd or 4th Wednesday of each month, depending upon birth date (You can go to https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/calendar.htm to see Social Security’s benefit payment schedule). From your post I assume that since your payments are normally received on the 4th Wednesday, and that since this December the 4th Wednesday falls after Christmas, you are faced with considerable financial and emotional difficulty. I sincerely wish there was something we could do, or some way we could guide you to receive your benefits earlier but, unfortunately, there is not. The Federal Government operates according only to the rules of the Social Security Act unfortunately without wavering. We’re very sorry for your situation, and sincerely hope you can find assistance through either your friends or family.

      Russell Gloor
      NSSA Certified Social Security Advisor
      The AMAC Foundation

      • This is such a bad situation. I feel awful for others, I myself am in this situation but don’t have small children. It’s heartbreaking that the federal government cannot afford the time to consider this for others.

        • Debra:

          Whenever your SS payment due date falls on a weekend or holiday, that payment is received on the first business day before the normal due date. So, this year, with the fourth Wednesday being the 26th, the regular payment schedule should prevail. If you have any other questions about the schedule of payments, please contact our Advisory Service (888-750-2622) at your convenience.

          Gerry Hafer
          AMAC Foundation, Inc.

          CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: The contents of this message, including any attachments, are confidential and are intended solely for the use of the person or entity to whom the message was addressed. If you are not the intended recipient of this message, please be advised that any dissemination, distribution, forwarding, printing, copying, or use of the contents of this message, and any attached documentation, is strictly prohibited. If you received this message in error, please notify the sender. Please also permanently delete all copies of the original message and any attached documentation. The opinions and interpretations expressed in this message are the viewpoints of the message’s author, a trained advisor accredited under the National Social Security Advisors program of the National Social Security Association, LLC (NSSA). The author, the NSSA, and the AMAC Foundation are not affiliated with or endorsed by the United States Government, the Social Security Administration, or any other state government.

  16. Ur scheduled calendar really helps my grandfather, my mother and I,with the colors,little symbols and etc., Without it,we’d be lost on some months!( then the holidays really gets us, about when we’re going to get our checks) Thank you again!!

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