The Christmas season is approaching, and with it, all the related expenses: gifts for friends and family, food for all the family gatherings, various decorations, and outings to restaurants and plays. It’s normal for hundreds of New Yorkers and pensioners to be eagerly awaiting their Social Security payments. However, in a state with such a high cost of living, these federal checks often fall short.
The last major SSA payment for this November is scheduled for Wednesday, November 26, 2025. However, thousands of New Yorkers are not only receiving a fraction of the financial support available. There are other federal SS benefits that can be combined with tax relief and assistance programs from the state of New York.
The Social Security calendar: November 2025
The Social Security Administration needs to distribute approximately 75 million payments each month. Although we would all like to receive our check on the first day of each month, this would cause all banking institutions to collapse on a monthly basis. That is why, years ago, the agency created a system in which payments were sent to beneficiaries in stages. To do this, a system was chosen that did not discriminate based on gender, race, or age. A random number was chosen, the day on which the beneficiaries were born, and from there, payments began to be staggered:
- The first group to receive Social Security payments are beneficiaries who began receiving their checks before May 1997. This sector of the population received their check on Monday, November 3. If you receive both SCA benefits and supplemental security income, you also received your check on this date.
- Those whose birthdays fall between the 1st and 10th of each month received their payment on the second Wednesday, November 12.
- Beneficiaries born between the 11th and the 20th received their deposit on November 19—the third Wednesday of the month.
- The last SSA payment is for those born between the 21st and the 31st, and will arrive this coming Wednesday, November 26.
On the other hand, people who only receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) receive their payment on the first day of the month—unless it falls on a weekend or holiday, in which case the payment is moved up to the last business day before. This is why the payment on November 6 for beneficiaries was made on October 31, 2025 (November 1 fell on a Saturday).
New York State Financial Initiatives
New York State is well known for its high cost of living, which is why its local assistance programs are so important for retirees and families. Here are some of the state’s initiatives…
School Tax Relief (STAR): This is a state initiative designed to ease the burden of school taxes on homeowners. For retired New Yorkers, there is Enhanced STAR, which is designed specifically for senior citizens. To qualify for Enhanced STAR, at least one of the owners of the primary residence must be 65 or older.
There are also Inflation Rebate Checks. This is a one-time payment assistance program enacted by Governor Kathy Hochul as part of the fiscal year 2026 budget. It provided direct financial relief to low- and moderate-income taxpayers, calculated based on their 2023 New York State tax returns. These checks began to be sent out in September 2025. If you filed your 2023 tax return in New York and meet certain income thresholds, you have probably received—or are about to receive—this check.
So now you know when that SS check is finally coming! Remember to budget for the Christmas festivities and don’t go crazy while buying presents for the grandkids! After all, family time is the most important thing, not how many toys you got for them.