President Donald Trump announced a federal holiday on both Christmas Eve, Dec. 24 and the day after Christmas Day, Dec. 26. The directive provides many federal employees with a holiday "bridge" for a five-day break around Christmas by closing all executive departments and agencies of the federal government on those dates.
However, there will not be any delay in receiving the Social Security payments on December 24.
Read more: Who will receive Social Security payment on December 24? Check eligibility and requirements
Will you receive the payment on December 24?
The holiday season and Trump's extra holidays will not dent the electronic payments that are supposed to go out to the beneficiaries. Social Security payments received by mail may arrive a little later, but direct deposits for those days are typically not delayed.
Even if you go to withdraw the money in person, the SSA site pop-up says that, “Field Offices will be open on Wednesday, December 24 and Friday, December 26 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. (local time). Our offices will be closed on Thursday, December 25, for the Christmas holiday.”
Read more: Social Security alerts Americans to look for 2 key forms arriving December 26
Who gets SSA payments on December 24?
{{/usCountry}}Read more: Social Security alerts Americans to look for 2 key forms arriving December 26
Who gets SSA payments on December 24?
{{/usCountry}}Social Security payouts are normally disbursed on Wednesdays, primarily to elderly or retired beneficiaries. According to the Social Security Administration's calendar, your payments are made on the second Wednesday of the month if your birthday falls between the 1st and 10th days of the month (this month, that falls on December 10).
Beneficiaries born between the 11th and the 20th of the month are paid on the third Wednesday (Dec. 17), while those born after the 20th are paid on the fourth Wednesday (Dec. 24).
In order to be eligible for the December 24 disbursement, a person must meet the age or condition requirements for each benefit and have accrued enough labor credits. The maximum amount of $4,018 may be reached by people who have worked longer and made more money.
Recipients will receive larger checks after the December payments because of a 2.8% increase in the cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA. The Social Security Administration stated that when the COLA goes into effect in January 2026, payments will increase by roughly $56 on average each month.
Since New Year's Day is a holiday in January 2026, payments will be sent on December 31.