Summary
Social Security benefits for November 2025 will be distributed throughout the month based on recipients' birth dates and other specific criteria. Payments begin with SSI recipients on Friday, October 31, and continue with other groups on specific dates in November. The Social Security Administration also announced that the Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for 2026 benefits will be based on an October 2025 report.
Key Facts
- Over 70 million Americans depend on Social Security for income.
- Social Security payments are spread out across the month to manage the large number of recipients.
- SSI payments for November will be issued on October 31, due to their usual date falling on a weekend.
- People who also receive SSI or who started getting benefits before May 1997 will receive their Social Security benefits on November 3.
- Other retirement-related benefits are distributed based on the recipient's birth date throughout the month: November 12, 19, and 26.
- The SSA advises beneficiaries to wait three business days before contacting them if a payment does not arrive on time.
- The Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for 2026 benefits will be announced on October 24, 2025.
- COLA adjustments are based on the Consumer Price Index published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
