Social Security update: Second of December double payments worth $914 to be sent out in 21 days

Millions of Supplemental Security Income recipients will receive a second monthly payment in December, worth up to $914 for individual filers, in exactly three weeks.

The second payment will go out on Friday, Dec. 29, and it comes four weeks after the first payment went out on Dec. 1. There are two payments sent to beneficiaries during December due to a scheduling quirk that happens multiple times a year. Recipients always get two checks in December because Jan. 1 is a holiday. Several other months in 2023 saw rare double payments because the 1st of the next month fell on a weekend or holiday.

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SSI benefits must be delivered to recipients by the first day of the month, so when the first day of a month falls on a weekend or a holiday, the Social Security Administration issues SSI checks the business day prior to make sure beneficiaries have their check on time. Recipients still only receive 12 checks per year, one for each month. Because of this rule, there will be no payments in January.

The payment amounts for beneficiaries depend on how they file. If they file as individuals, the payment rate is $914 per month. The rate for eligible couples for monthly payments is $1,371. Essential persons, who live with someone receiving SSI and provide them with necessary care, get a monthly payment of $458.

To qualify for the payments, recipients must be at least 65 and meet certain financial requirements. Some people under the age of 65, including children, could qualify for the payments if they are at least partially blind or have a physical or mental disability that severely limits their daily activities for at least a year or is expected to result in death, according to the administration.

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Not every recipient will receive the maximum payment, and filers can see a personalized estimate through the SSA’s calculator. The monthly benefit is expected to rise by 3.2% next year, according to the administration.

SSI payments were first issued by the SSA in January 1974, with payment rates increasing for cost of living adjustments since 1975, per the agency.