The Pacific Palisades wildlife has destroyed more than 1,000 structures and caused the deaths of at least two people in Southern California. Those living in the area include millions of seniors, many of whom rely on Social Security payments each month.
This Wednesday, January 8, also marks the day when many beneficiaries receive their benefits, but the wildfire has some worried about whether their checks will be able to arrive in the mail as scheduled.
Why It Matters
More than 65 million Americans rely on Social Security payments monthly. The average payment is $1,976 in 2025.
January 8 is one of the days beneficiaries receive their payments. This is specifically for those born between the 1st and 10th day of a month.
What To Know
The Palisades fire was reported at 10:30 a.m. local time Tuesday and now spans at least 2,921 acres. Two other wildfires have been reported since then.
More than 10,300 homes are in danger due to the fires, and California Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency.
Social Security payments will arrive as originally issued on January 8, even amid the wildfire.
However, local United States Postal Services delays could result in your paper check arriving later than anticipated. The USPS keeps track of all delays and closures on its website.
What People Are Saying
A Social Security spokesperson told Newsweek: "Social Security benefit payments are being issued as scheduled, today, for the January 8th payment date. Information on the US Postal Service's delays and closures can be found on the USPS - Service Alerts website. We recommend all beneficiaries affected by the wildfires to monitor this site for additional information.
"As always, we will be ready to assist those affected by natural disasters and we encourage anyone needing assistance to contact us as soon as they can do so safely. Our thoughts and best wishes are with everyone affected by the wildfires."
What Happens Next
If your Social Security check gets delayed due to the California wildfires, you should still receive the money in the mail once it's safe for USPS to complete the delivery.
Those who have not received payment for several days can contact Social Security via email, phone, or in person at their local office.
Some Social Security recipients were getting higher payments than usual this week.
While all benefit amounts grew by 2.5 percent in 2025, courtesy of the cost-of-living adjustment, some recipients are seeing higher checks due to the Social Security Fairness Act.
This law abolished the windfall elimination provision and government pension offset, which decreased payments for millions of Americans who worked in public service jobs like teachers, police officers and firefighters.
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