The upcoming Social Security payment on December 10, 2025, targets specific beneficiaries. This distribution includes those receiving retirement, survivors, and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits. To qualify for this payment, individuals must have birthdates between the 1st and 10th of any month. These beneficiaries receive their payments on the second Wednesday of each month. Notably, those who began receiving Social Security before May 1997 or receive both Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) will have already received their benefits on December 3.
Contextualizing the $5,108 Amount
The figure of $5,108 represents the maximum theoretical benefit an individual can receive from Social Security. To qualify for this maximum amount, a beneficiary must have worked for at least 35 years, paid the maximum payroll taxes, and waited until age 70 to claim benefits. In contrast, the average monthly retirement payment is around $1,955, according to August data, or $2,006.69, based on July figures. This indicates that most beneficiaries receiving payments on December 10 will receive significantly less than $5,108.
The December 10 Payment is Not the “Final” One
Contrary to the title’s implication, the December 10 payment is not the final Social Security distribution of the year. Regular payments continue after this date. Beneficiaries born between the 11th and 20th of the month will receive their payments on December 17, while those born between the 21st and 31st will receive theirs on December 24. The last Social Security-related check for 2025 is the SSI payment for January 2026, which will be issued on December 31, 2025.
Context of the COLA (Cost of Living Adjustment)
The December 10 payment holds significance as it is one of the last checks issued before the new inflation-adjusted amounts take effect. The Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for 2026 is confirmed at 2.8%. This adjustment will result in an average increase of approximately $56 per month for beneficiaries. Those receiving their regular Social Security payment on December 10 will see this increase reflected in their January 2026 check.
