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Retirement

Social Security

When Social Security Recipients Will Get Their Checks in November

Social Security check sticking out of an envelope

Olive Burd / Money; Getty Images

As the government shutdown stretches into its fourth week, Social Security payments are set to go out as scheduled in November.

Roughly 68 million Americans receive Social Security benefits every month, including about 9 out of every 10 people age 65 and up. Funds aren't just for older folks, though. Payments go out to retirees, survivors of late workers, those with little to no resources, disabled workers, the blind, dependents and more.

The average Social Security payments for those various groups of people vary, but data from August shows the typical retirement benefit was about $1,955.

When will I get my November Social Security payment?

Your Social Security payment date is determined by your birthday.

If you were born on the first through the 10th of the month, you can expect to get your Social Security check on the second Wednesday of every month — in this case, Nov. 12.

If you were born on the 11th through the 20th of the month, you can expect to get your Social Security check on the third Wednesday of every month — in this case, Nov. 19.

If you were born on the 21st through the 31st, you can expect to get your Social Security check on the fourth Wednesday of every month — in this case, Nov. 26.

Why is there no November SSI payment?

Supplemental Security Income, or SSI, payments are usually paid on the first of each month. But because Nov. 1 falls on a Saturday, the November SSI payment has been moved up to the previous business day.

This means beneficiaries will get their November SSI payment on Friday (Oct. 31).

This is a relatively common occurrence that has already happened several times this year. There's nothing to worry about — beneficiaries are still receiving their full SSI payment for November; it's just arriving at a slightly different time than normal. The next SSI payment is set for Dec. 1.

Folks who get both SSI and Social Security, as well as those who initially claimed Social Security prior to May 1997, will receive their Social Security benefits on Monday (Nov. 3) as scheduled.

Where is my November Social Security payment?

Check the payment schedule above.

If you think your money is missing, you can reach out to the Social Security Administration (SSA). The SSA has both local offices and a toll-free national number. The national phone number is 1-800-772-1213. Representatives are available weekdays from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time. Pro tip: The agency says wait times are shortest in the morning, late in the week and late in the month.

In any case, the SSA asks that you wait three mailing days before contacting it about a missing Social Security payment.

Is Social Security affected by the government shutdown?

The government has been closed since Oct. 1 over a funding disagreement between Republicans and Democrats in Congress. But Social Security and SSI payments "continue with no change in payment dates," according to the SSA website.

Although Social Security offices are open, staff there can help with only a handful of tasks, including applying for benefits, requesting an appeal, changing your address, adjusting your direct deposit information, replacing a missed payment and getting a new Social Security card. Some other services, like replacing your Medicare card or requesting a proof of income letter, can be handled online.

Notably, the shutdown caused the announcement of the 2026 cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, to be postponed.

The COLA is based on inflation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and because that data isn't being published right now, the SSA could not finalize the COLA. After skipping its regularly scheduled inflation report on Oct. 15, the BLS reconvened to publish it Oct. 24 "to meet statutory deadlines necessary to ensure the accurate and timely payment of benefits."

When will the 2026 COLA take effect?

The 2026 COLA is 2.8%. Beneficiaries will receive about $56 more per month on average.

The COLA will first show up in SSI payments on Dec. 31. Other Social Security recipients will see the raise starting in January.

Is the 2026 COLA enough?

Intended to help benefits keep pace with rising costs, the Social Security COLA is based on inflation data from the third fiscal quarter, which includes July, August and September. It's calculated every October and affects the following year's payments.

Sometimes, this timing benefits recipients — like when they got an 8.7% raise for 2023 after a bout of higher-than-usual inflation in summer 2022. The opposite is happening now: Inflation has already reached 3%, and the COLA for 2026 has been locked in at 2.8%.

"The 2026 COLA is going to hurt for seniors," Shannon Benton, the executive director of The Senior Citizens League, said in a news release.

In a recent survey from the Motley Fool, 54% of Social Security recipients said they think a 2.8% COLA is inadequate. Another 68% said the COLA won't be much help in helping them afford essentials.

What is the SSA payment schedule for 2025?

You can find the SSA's 2025 payment calendar on its website. Although it largely follows the schedule laid out above, some months are different.

To learn more about your payment status or to get additional help with Medicare, retirement benefits, disability, SSI and more, make a "my Social Security" account for free at SSA.gov.

How do I calculate my Social Security payment?

Benefits are generally calculated according to your average indexed monthly earnings, which include up to 35 years of your highest-earning years. The SSA then applies a formula to determine your primary insurance amount.

The amount of money retirees actually receive depends partially on their age. Although you can start getting Social Security retirement payments at 62 years old, the longer you wait to claim Social Security, the higher your payments will be (until age 70, when the increases stop).

For many Americans, this money is crucial — Social Security accounts for about 30% of the income received by folks over age 65. As people live longer and legislators wrestle over the future of Social Security, the cost of retirement is surging: In 2022, federal data shows retired households spent an average of $54,975, including $11,186 on shelter, $8,065 on transportation and $7,505 on health care.

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