The Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program, administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA), provides monthly payments to individuals with limited resources and income who are age 65 or older, legally blind, or have disabilities and are deemed eligible under the agency’s guidelines.
SSI payments from July through December 2025 are going to have some changes that could cause some confusion, as we’ll see months with double payments and other months with missing payments. Let’s take a look at how the SSA deposit schedule works and what to expect.
Why aren’t there SSI payments every month?
SSI payments are typically issued on the first day of each month—well, at least most months. If that day falls on a weekend or federal holiday, the SSA advances the payment to the last business day of the previous month. This results in “two-payment months” and “no-payment months.” The SSI payment schedule for July through December 2025 is as follows, according to the SSA.
In July, because the first day of the month was not a holiday or weekend, the payment fell normally. Now, for August 2025, things change: If you are a beneficiary of the program, you will see in your bank account a payment on August 1st (for August) and another payment on August 29th (for September, in advance).
This means you won’t see any payments during the month of September: it seems like that money is missing, but you already saw that it arrived on August 29th, because September 1st falls on a weekend.
Other SSI changes for the remainder of 2025
- October has two payments: Payment on October 1st (for October) and payment on October 31st (for November, in advance).
- November 2025: No payments are made, since the November payment was made on October 31.
- December also has two payments: Payment on December 1st (for December) and payment on December 31st (for January 2026, in advance).
Do you receive SSI in a paper check? You need to change it urgently
Nearly 99% of SSI beneficiaries receive payments via direct deposit. This allows for electronic advances without relying on the mail. For beneficiaries still receiving paper checks (approximately 480,000), the SSA recommends waiting three additional business days before reporting a missing payment. Mail delays may occur.
We should also mention that all SSA-administered payment recipients must move away from paper checks by September 30, 2025, as they will be phased out starting October 1, allowing all payments to be made digitally.
You can opt for direct deposit to your bank account, a digital wallet (check with your local SSA office to confirm they accept your preferred wallet), or request a free SSA Direct Express card.
