In addition to the traditional Social Security benefit that is paid to retirees or survivors, amongst others, the Social Security Administration (SSA) also pays out another type of monthly benefit called the SSI, or Supplemental Security Income. The Supplemental Security Income is currently paid to around 7.1 million recipients, including disabled individuals and persons with little to no alternate resources.
SSI payments dates are marked alongside the regular Social Security payments dates on the Social Security Administration’s Schedule of Social Security Benefit Payments. The SSI payments usually roll out on the first of each month in the calendar year, however, there are occasional fluctuations with SSI payment dates and as a result, beneficiaries end up receiving not one, but two SSI checks in the same month. This will be case for the upcoming month of August. Here is what you need to know.
Double SSI payments for August
Receiving two SSI payments within the same month is not an unheard of event, however, beneficiaries should take note that the second payment is not a bonus check. According to the SSA’s payment schedule for 2025, two SSI payments will be going out in the month of August instead of one. The first payment will be made on August 1st and this will be the SSI benefit intended for the month of August.
A second SSI payment will later go out on August 29th as well. This second payment is not a freebie check but rather, it is the SSI benefit intended for the month of September. This is not the first time in the year that a SSI benefit has been paid in the month preceding its actual allotment and the reasoning behind these early payments is quite simple.
If the first of the month falls on a weekend or a holiday, the SSA will move up the payment date to the nearest working day prior to the first of the new month. This way, the beneficiary will be able to access their SSI benefit for the month — in this case September — as the month begins rather than having it delayed to the next working day after the first of the month.
The so-called “double” payment happened earlier this year in February and May as well. Additionally, the November SSI payment will be issued on October 31st, and the January 2026 SSI payment will be issued on December 31st, 2025.
SSI beneficiaries do not need to take any action for these early payments as the dates are clearly marked on the SSA’s schedule. So whilst it may seem like some months are being skipped over with regards to payments, all twelve calendar months are actually accounted for.
The SSA also advises beneficiaries to note that, “If you don’t receive your payment on the expected date, please allow three additional mailing days before contacting Social Security.”
Who qualifies for SSI benefits?
Adults with the following are able to qualify for SSI benefits, according to the SSA website:
- Little or no income, and
- Little or no resources, and
- A disability, blindness, or are age 65 or older.
Additionally, in certain cases, children may also be considered eligible for SSI benefits.
Generally speaking, adults earning more than $2,019 monthly will not be eligible for the Supplemental Security Income. Furthermore, common resources should also be below $2,000 for an individual filer, and $3,000 for couples jointly filing in order to qualify for this benefit.
For individuals under the age of 64 with a disability, the SSA stipulates that, “if you have a disability, you’ll also need to prove you’ve earned less than $1,550 from work per month in the month you’re applying. Citizens ages 65 or older don’t need to have a disability to get SSI.”