Federal offices close for extended Christmas period, Social Security payments on schedule

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on December 18 that designates Wednesday, December 24 and Friday, December 26 as federal holidays for executive branch agencies. The order states, “All executive departments and agencies of the Federal Government shall be closed and their employees excused from duty on Wednesday, December 24, 2025, and Friday, December 26, 2025.” Agency heads are given discretion to determine additional closures around those dates.

That discretion has produced conflicting accounts about Social Security Administration operations over the extended holiday. Several reports indicate Social Security will suspend in person services from December 24 through Sunday, December 28, with local field offices resuming normal face to face operations on Monday, December 29. At the same time an internal all staff email from Social Security Commissioner Frank Bisignano tells employees the agency plans to keep field offices and phone lines open on December 24 and December 26, “in line with our commitment to meeting the public need,” and that processing centers will be staffed virtually and virtual administrative law judge hearings will be held on those days.

The executive order formally creates a federal holiday on two dates and leaves other scheduling choices to agency leaders. Some outlets interpret the order and the intervening weekend as producing a five calendar day suspension of in person services. The SSA internal message indicates a different operational posture for at least some offices and functions. For beneficiaries that creates immediate uncertainty about whether a local office will provide in person help on these dates.

Online services remain available during the holiday period. The agency is continuing my Social Security, the online portal, and an SSA representative said payments would go out “as scheduled.” Detailed payment timing for December is unchanged according to agency schedules. Retirees and disability beneficiaries whose payments began after May 1997 receive deposits on Wednesdays based on birth date, with December dates being December 10 for birth dates 1 through 10, December 17 for birth dates 11 through 20, and December 24 for birth dates 21 through the end of the month. Those who began receiving benefits before May 1997, and those who receive both Social Security and Supplemental Security Income, received their December payments on Wednesday, December 3.

The Internal Revenue Service is taking a parallel approach. The IRS will “stay open” on December 24 and December 26 and is asking for volunteers to work those days. Customer service phone lines and taxpayer assistance centers may be offline in some locations, but agency officials say “cases will still be worked” and IT staff will provide “break fix support.” Employees who volunteer for duty on the designated holidays are eligible for holiday pay.

For beneficiaries and taxpayers seeking certainty, schedule and staffing decisions will be local. The agency encourages people who need in person help to check with their local Social Security field office or consult SSA.gov for the latest information. Bank account holders should monitor statements for expected deposits but can rely on the agency’s statement that December payments will post as scheduled.