You might get extra money from SSI due to a past underpayment, a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), a state supplement increase, or a calendar quirk making it seem like you got two payments (one early for the next month). It could also be a one-time payment from a new law, like retroactive adjustments from the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) or Government Pension Offset (GPO). Always check your SSI notice for the specific reason, as it's crucial to know if it's a correct extra payment or a potential overpayment you'll need to repay.
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a federal assistance program that provides monthly cash payments to older adults and individuals with qualifying disabilities who have income and resources (i.e., assets) within prescribed limits.
Golden State Grant (GSG) and SSI/SSP Recipients
Recent California legislation authorized a one-time supplemental SSP payment in the amount of $600 to SSI/SSP recipients to provide relief from hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Payments in the amount of $600 were automatically mailed out in 2021.
An unexpected Social Security deposit often means you're receiving back pay for a past underpayment, a retroactive adjustment (like from new laws or corrected earnings), or a one-time payment after a claim was approved, sometimes appearing before a letter arrives. Common reasons include corrections for old errors, benefits switching (e.g., from SSI to DAC), or adjustments from laws like the Social Security Fairness Act. You should contact the SSA to confirm the reason and avoid spending it until you understand it, as it could be an error requiring repayment.
The payment you received is likely your lump sum retroactive benefit. SSA is sending out mail with more details, which you should receive soon.
You likely received extra money in October 2025 due to a calendar scheduling quirk for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) (which got two payments: one Oct 1st for October's benefit and one Oct 31st for November's), or perhaps a retroactive payment from the Social Security Fairness Act for Windfall Elimination/Government Pension Offset (WEP/GPO) adjustments, as Social Security's main Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) for 2026 started in January 2026, not October 2025, though the announcement was in October 2025.
The 2.8 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) will begin with benefits payable to nearly 71 million Social Security beneficiaries in January 2026. Increased payments to nearly 7.5 million SSI recipients will begin on December 31, 2025. (Note: Some people receive both Social Security and SSI benefits.)
2025 Updates and New IRS Features
Additionally, while previous tax refunds sometimes included stimulus payments related to pandemic relief, these payments have been phased out in 2025. Therefore, if you see a deposit labeled “IRS Treas 310” today, it is almost certainly solely from your tax refund.
The term “Social Security bonus” isn't an official benefit but a way to describe how retirees can increase the amount they receive each month. Social Security allows you to boost your monthly payment by delaying when you start claiming benefits.
SSI stands for Supplemental Security Income. Social Security administers this program. We pay monthly benefits to people with limited income and resources who are blind, age 65 or older, or have a qualifying disability. Children with disabilities or who are blind may also get SSI.
The extra $144 added to Social Security usually comes from the Medicare Part B Giveback benefit, offered by some Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans, which pays back some or all your Part B premium, showing up as extra money in your check if it's deducted from your Social Security. To qualify, you need Original Medicare (Parts A & B), pay your own Part B premium, live in a plan's service area, and enroll in a specific Medicare Advantage plan that offers this "rebate," with the amount varying by plan and location.
You get two Social Security checks in December if you receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI), not regular Social Security, because the January payment gets moved to late December (usually Dec 31) since January 1st (New Year's Day) is a federal holiday, resulting in a December 1st payment and a December 31st payment for January's benefits, with the later one often including the COLA increase.
Yes, you can receive both Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) at the same time; it's called receiving "concurrent benefits". This often happens when your SSDI payment is low and doesn't meet your needs, so SSI (a needs-based program) provides an extra amount to bring you up to the federal SSI minimum, provided you meet strict income and asset limits for SSI.
An unexpected Social Security deposit often means you're receiving back pay for a past underpayment, a retroactive adjustment (like from new laws or corrected earnings), or a one-time payment after a claim was approved, sometimes appearing before a letter arrives. Common reasons include corrections for old errors, benefits switching (e.g., from SSI to DAC), or adjustments from laws like the Social Security Fairness Act. You should contact the SSA to confirm the reason and avoid spending it until you understand it, as it could be an error requiring repayment.
It could be: A refund from a filed tax return, including an amended tax return or an IRS tax adjustment to your tax account – this will show as being from the IRS (“IRS TREAS 310”) and carry the code “TAX REF.”
Has your income declined or have you experienced a loss of financial resources? You may be able to get additional income through the Supplemental Security Income program, which helps seniors and the disabled who have limited income and financial resources.
According to financial outlet Quartz, those who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI), which is given to elderly Americans with little or no income and disabled people, will receive two checks in December.
Yes, Social Security recipients received a Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) for 2025, but the bigger news is that they are getting a larger 2.8% COLA for 2026, announced in October 2025, which began with January 2026 payments, increasing average benefits by about $56 per month. The 2025 COLA was a smaller 2.5% increase, while the 2026 adjustment reflects moderating inflation, leading to higher payments starting in the new year.
An overpayment can happen when a beneficiary fails to update a change in income, for instance, and as a result Social Security overpays them. Or the SSA can incorrectly calculate a person's benefits.
So, what about this supposed Social Security bonus? The truth is, there is no such thing. However, the idea of a Social Security bonus may come from the fact that waiting to start receiving benefits can result in a higher benefit amount than if you start earlier.
Beneficiaries who get Supplemental Security Income (SSI) will get two checks in the month of May. The first check, due on May 1, is the benefit for the month of May 2025. A second check is due on May 30, the benefit check for the month of June.