Social Security payments are hitting bank accounts this week, and millions of retirees are watching closely as the final wave for November lands on Wednesday, Nov. 26. This is the payment cycle for beneficiaries born between the 21st and 31st of any month, and it arrives with less than six weeks to go before the 2026 COLA boost permanently raises monthly checks. The timing matters because roughly 70 million Americans depend on Social Security income every month, and many households are preparing holiday budgets around this week’s deposit.
Payment delivery continues to follow the new direct deposit–only system, after paper checks were fully discontinued earlier this year. Anyone who didn’t switch by the Sept. 30 compliance deadline now receives payments only through a bank account or Direct Express card. The removal of paper checks has sped up delivery, but if the payment doesn’t show up on Nov. 26, the Social Security Administration recommends waiting up to three business days before reporting it missing. Most delays occur when banks observe holiday operating hours.
The November payout follows the staggered schedule that Social Security uses every month. Birthdays between the 1st and 10th were paid on the second Wednesday of the month. Birthdays between the 11th and 20th were paid on the third Wednesday. And birthdays after the 20th are being paid now, on the fourth Wednesday. Those who began receiving benefits before May 1997, or those who receive both Social Security and SSI, are not on this Wednesday rotation and instead receive payments on the third day of each month, unless a weekend or holiday moves the date.
SSI recipients also have their own calendar. The next payments are confirmed for Dec. 1, 2025, followed by an early Dec. 31, 2025 deposit that counts as the SSI payment for January 2026, not a bonus. The following SSI payments arrive on Jan. 30, 2026 for February and Feb. 27, 2026 for March. Anyone receiving both SSI and Social Security will see separate deposits and should confirm both are accurately arriving.
How much beneficiaries receive depends on earnings history and filing age. Someone who files at age 62 can receive a maximum of $2,831 per month. Someone who waits until full retirement age (67) can receive up to $4,018 per month. The highest monthly benefit — $5,108 — is for those who delay claiming until age 70. Most retirees are far below the maximum; the average retirement benefit as of August 2025 was $2,008.31 per month, with many recipients relying on that amount to cover housing, food, medications, and utilities. Filing age remains one of the biggest financial decisions of retirement because waiting even one extra year can dramatically increase lifetime payouts.
The next big change arrives soon. All Social Security programs — including retirement, spousal, survivor, disability, and SSI — will get a 2.8% COLA increase in January 2026. For the average retiree, that equals roughly $56 extra per month. Higher earners who already collect near the maximum will see an even larger dollar increase. No application or action is required for beneficiaries to receive the adjustment; it will be automatically added to the January 2026 benefit. The Social Security Administration has emphasized that COLA exists to keep benefits aligned with rising living costs, helping retirees maintain purchasing power as inflation continues to affect everyday essentials.
For now, the most immediate focus is this week’s payment. Anyone born from the 21st to the 31st should see their Social Security payment on Wednesday, Nov. 26, delivered directly into their bank or Direct Express card. With the holiday season in full swing and a permanent COLA raise just weeks away, beneficiaries are watching this week’s deposit more closely than usual. For millions of Americans, every dollar counts — and this payment matters.
Who is getting their Social Security payment this week? The Social Security payment going out this week is for people whose birthdays fall between the 21st and 31st of any month. Their benefits will be paid on Wednesday, November 26.
This group represents the last and final wave of monthly Social Security payments for November. Other payment groups for November received their deposits earlier based on the day of their birth. These staggered waves prevent delays and prevent the system from distributing money t
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