Real-Time BNB Signal Analytics
Real-Time BNB Signal Analytics
The Social Security Administration (SSA) has released its payment schedule for November 2025. For most Social Security recipients, payments will arrive as usual, distributed on Wednesdays based on birthdate. Those born between the 1st and 10th of the month will receive their money on November 12th, those born between the 11th and 20th on November 19th, and those born after the 20th on November 26th. So far, so good.
However, there's a wrinkle: Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients won't see a November check. This isn’t a glitch, but a calendar quirk. Because November 1st falls on a Saturday, the SSI payment was issued early, on October 31st. The next SSI payment arrives December 1st, followed by another on December 31st (covering January 2026). It's a timing issue, not a cut in benefits, but for those heavily reliant on these payments, a month is a long time. Is there a more streamlined way to handle these situations? Some Social Security recipients won't get a check in November. See payment schedule
The ongoing government shutdown adds another layer of complexity. While Social Security and SSI payments are mandated by law and not subject to the congressional budget battles, the SSA's services are affected. Thousands of employees are furloughed, limiting what the agency can do.
You can still apply for benefits, request an appeal, change your address, report a death, or get a replacement Social Security card. But forget about replacing a Medicare card, getting a proof of income letter, or updating your earnings record. These services are suspended until the shutdown ends.
This creates a two-tiered system. Those who need basic services are covered. But those needing more complex assistance—often the most vulnerable—are left in limbo. And this is the part that I find genuinely puzzling. The cost of those "unavailable" services can't be that high. Why not prioritize them, even during a shutdown?
Then there's the 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for 2026. The SSA trumpets this as a victory, an average increase of $56 per month for Social Security retirement benefits. But let's unpack that number. Over the last decade, the average COLA increase was higher, around 3.1%. In 2025, it was 2.5%. So, 2.8% is an improvement over last year, but below the historical average.
The COLA is tied to the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W), calculated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is where things get tricky. The CPI-W may not accurately reflect the actual expenses of Social Security recipients, particularly seniors. Healthcare costs, for example, tend to rise faster than the CPI-W. And this is where the "average" benefit increase can be misleading. Some will see a significant boost, while others, facing higher medical bills, will barely break even.
The maximum amount of earnings subject to Social Security tax is also increasing, to $184,500 from $176,100. This is a good thing for the solvency of the system, but it also means that higher earners will be paying more into the system. It's a balancing act.
The SSA wants you to think the 2.8% COLA is a game-changer. But a closer look reveals a more nuanced picture. It's a modest increase, below the historical average, and may not keep pace with the rising costs faced by many recipients. The shutdown exposes the fragility of Social Security services, even when the checks keep coming. And the SSI payment schedule highlights the challenges of managing on a fixed income, where timing is everything.
