Social Security Christmas week 2025 office hours and retirement age changes in 2026 overview
Social Security Christmas week 2025 office hours and retirement age changes in 2026 cover two separate developments. The first involves holiday operations. The second involves retirement age rules set decades ago. Both issues affect public access to Social Security services and long-term benefit amounts.
Why Social Security offices stay open during Christmas week 2025?
Social Security Christmas week 2025 office hours and retirement age changes in 2026 begin with holiday scheduling. President Donald Trump signed an executive order granting most federal employees additional time off on December 24 and December 26. December 25 remains a federal holiday.
The order allows agencies to remain open if public need requires it. The Social Security Administration decided to continue operations. The Internal Revenue Service made a similar decision.
SSA Commissioner Frank Bisignano informed employees that public access must continue. Field offices and phone lines will remain open on December 24 and December 26. Processing centers will operate remotely. Administrative law judge hearings scheduled for those days will continue.
Staffing plans and holiday pay at Social Security
Social Security Christmas week 2025 office hours and retirement age changes in 2026 also affect employees. SSA is requesting volunteers to work during the holiday period. Employees who work will receive holiday pay.
Field offices and teleservice centers will operate from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. local time. Each location must have a manager or officer-in-charge present. Managers working onsite will receive eight hours of administrative leave for each day worked. Processing center staff will work full eight-hour shifts remotely. IT and facilities teams will remain available to support systems and buildings.
Why SSA and IRS consider holiday operations necessary?
Social Security Christmas week 2025 office hours and retirement age changes in 2026 reflect operational planning. SSA officials state that demand often rises in January. Staying open during late December may reduce appointment backlogs.
A former SSA executive stated that staying open during presidentially declared days off is unusual. However, SSA leaders believe public need justifies the decision.
The IRS will also remain operational. Customer service phone lines and taxpayer assistance centers will close on December 24 and 26. Case processing and internal work will continue. IRS employees working those days will receive holiday pay. IT staff will provide system support.
Retirement age changes beginning in 2026
Social Security Christmas week 2025 office hours and retirement age changes in 2026 also include a major policy shift. The Social Security Administration confirmed that the full retirement age reaches 67 in 2026.
People born in 1960 or later must reach age 67 to receive full Social Security retirement benefits. This change completes the retirement age increases set by Congress in 1983.
For people born in 1959, the full retirement age is 66 years and 10 months. That increases to 67 starting in 2026.
How early claiming affects Social Security benefits?
Social Security Christmas week 2025 office hours and retirement age changes in 2026 influence claiming decisions. Workers can still claim benefits at age 62. However, claiming early results in a permanent reduction.
The reduction is about 30 percent compared to waiting until full retirement age. This reduction applies for life. Many workers still choose early claiming due to financial needs.
Impact on future retirees and planning
Social Security Christmas week 2025 office hours and retirement age changes in 2026 affect people born from 1960 onward. This includes younger baby boomers and Generation X.
Advocacy groups state that increasing the retirement age reduces lifetime benefits. Planning time exists, but savings challenges remain. Wage growth, education costs, housing costs, and daily expenses limit retirement preparation.
Research shows that many Americans expect to retire at 65. The median retirement age is 62. About 44 percent of Americans plan to claim benefits before full retirement age, reducing monthly income.
FAQs
Q1: Why are Social Security offices open during Christmas week 2025?
Social Security offices stay open during Christmas week 2025 to meet public need, prevent appointment backlogs, maintain phone access, and ensure benefit processing continues during a high-demand period.
Q2: What is the Social Security retirement age change in 2026?
Starting in 2026, anyone born in 1960 or later reaches full Social Security retirement age at 67, while early claims at 62 still remain available with permanent benefit reductions.