Every month without fail, some 75 million vulnerable individuals across the country sit in wait for their next benefit check from the Social Security Administration (SSA). For a significant number of these individuals, the monthly Social Security benefit acts as a primary source of income upon which they rely to cover their monthly living expenses.
The end of October brought with it the highly anticipated Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) announcement, and beneficiaries across the country will be receiving a modest 2.8% increase to their benefits starting in January next year.
Before getting to benefits with the COLA increase included, there still remains some payments to be made for this year. As the first week of November progresses, beneficiaries will likely begin expecting their Social Security benefit for this month. The good news is that all benefits will continue to be issued as per the official schedule despite the ongoing federal government shutdown.
Here is a breakdown of the Social Security benefit payment schedule for this month of November.
November benefit payments are on schedule
Since October 1st, the federal government has been shutdown following a deadlock between the Republican and Democratic parties regarding the healthcare spending bill. As a result, a number of federal agencies have furloughed its staff and ceased operations.
Some federal agencies, including Social Security, will continue to operate during government shutdowns because the funding for these agencies are made into legislation and as such, does not require Congressional approval on an annual basis. On October 1st when the shutdown was announced, the SSA issued an update on its blog stating that all benefits will continue to be paid as per schedule with no delays.
The agency added that field offices will also be open but will be operating at a limited capacity for the duration of the shutdown. According to the agency’s October 1st blog post, the following services will be offered at SSA field offices at this time:
- Apply for benefits
- Request an appeal
- Change your address or direct deposit information
- Report a death
- Verify or change your citizenship status
- Replace a lost or missing Social Security payment
- Obtain a critical payment
- Change a representative payee
- Make a change in your living arrangement or income (SSI recipients only)
- Obtain a new or replacement Social Security card
November benefit schedule
Benefit payments for the month of November have already begun rolling out. The regular Social Security benefit is paid to beneficiaries on the second, third, and fourth Wednesday of each month, relative to the beneficiary’s date of birth.
The Supplemental Security Income benefit is typically paid on the first of the month, however, the SSA will often push this payment up to the last working day of the previous month if the first of the month falls on a holiday or weekend. The first of November had fallen on a weekend and as such, the Supplemental Security Income intended for the month of November had been issued on Friday, October 31st.
The payments for the regular Social Security benefit will begin going out from next Wednesday. Here is a complete outline of payment dates for all November benefits:
- Friday, October 31st — Supplemental Security Income for November
- Monday, November 3rd — Social Security benefit for those who had received Social Security before May of 1997, or for those who receive both Social Security and the Supplemental Security Income
- Wednesday, November 12th — Social Security benefit for recipients with birth dates from the 1st to the 10th of their respective birth month
- Wednesday, November 19th — Social Security benefit for recipients with birth dates from the 11th to the 20th of their respective birth month
- Wednesday, November 26th — Social Security benefit for recipients with birth dates from the 21st to the 31st of their respective birth month