You cannot collect both SSI and SSDI from Social Security at the same time, but you may be able to receive SSI while getting other disability payments

Social Security has two separate disability programs: Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). The Social Security Administration does not allow you to receive monthly payments from both programs simultaneously. If you are found to be disabled under both programs' rules, Social Security will pay you whichever benefit amount is higher, not both.

However, the picture changes if you receive disability payments from sources other than Social Security. You can collect SSI while also receiving workers' compensation, Veterans benefits, or state disability payments. The rules about how those other payments affect your SSI amount are different from the rule about SSDI and SSI together.

Understanding which program you may have access to for, and whether other income reduces your SSI payment, requires knowing the specific rules for each situation. The distinction matters because the two programs have different work histories, medical standards, and income limits.

Key Takeaways

  • Social Security will not pay you both SSI and SSDI in the same month; if you may have access to for both, you receive the higher amount only.
  • You can receive SSI while also collecting workers' compensation, Veterans disability, or state disability programs without being disqualified.
  • Other disability income you receive will reduce your SSI payment dollar-for-dollar in most cases, though some types of income have exclusions.
  • If you are already on SSDI and your benefit drops below the SSI federal rate, Social Security may add SSI to bring you up to the minimum, a process called "deemed" SSI.
  • Your work history determines whether you may have access to for SSDI; your income and resources determine whether you may have access to for SSI, regardless of work history.

Why you cannot receive both SSI and SSDI simultaneously

SSI and SSDI are funded differently and serve different populations. SSDI is an insurance program: you pay into it through payroll taxes, and you receive benefits based on your own work record or, in some cases, a family member's work record. SSI is a needs-based program funded by general tax revenue; it pays people with disabilities who have little income and few resources, regardless of work history.

Because they are separate programs with separate funding streams, Social Security treats them as mutually exclusive for monthly payments. The agency's position is that you are either disabled under the SSDI rules or disabled under the SSI rules, and you receive one benefit amount. If you meet the medical criteria for both programs, Social Security calculates what you would receive under each and pays you the larger amount.

This rule applies only to Social Security's own programs. It does not prevent you from collecting SSI while receiving disability income from other government agencies or private sources.

Receiving SSI alongside workers' compensation or other disability payments

You can hold an SSI benefit and also receive workers' compensation, state temporary disability insurance, or private disability insurance. However, most of that other income will reduce your SSI payment. Social Security counts most types of disability income as "unearned income," which reduces your SSI dollar-for-dollar after a small monthly exclusion.

The exclusion amount is $65 per month for unearned income in 2024, though this figure changes yearly. If you receive $200 in workers' compensation in a month, Social Security counts $135 of it ($200 minus the $65 exclusion) against your SSI. Your SSI payment drops by that $135.

Some income sources have special rules. For example, certain types of state-administered disability payments and some housing information are excluded entirely and do not reduce your SSI. The specifics depend on the program and your state. You will need to report any outside disability income to Social Security when you report it, and they will tell you how it affects your payment.

How SSI and SSDI interact when your SSDI payment is very low

A small number of people receive SSDI based on a very limited work record, which results in a benefit amount lower than the federal SSI payment rate. In these cases, Social Security may add SSI on top of your SSDI to bring your total up to the SSI minimum. This is called "deemed" SSI or SSI in addition to SSDI.

This is not the same as receiving both programs' full amounts. It is a supplemental payment that exists only because your SSDI is unusually low. The combined total still cannot exceed what you would receive under SSI alone. This situation is rare and typically occurs when someone has worked very briefly or earned very little during their working years.

If you think this might explore to you—for instance, if you worked only a few months before becoming disabled—contact Social Security directly to ask whether you are receiving any SSI supplement on top of your SSDI.

How to know which program you are receiving

Your Social Security statement or award letter will clearly identify whether you are receiving SSDI, SSI, or both (in the rare case of the supplemental payment described above). You can also log into your my Social Security account online at ssa.gov to view your current benefit type and amount.

If you are unsure, you can call Social Security's main line at 1-800-772-1213 and ask a representative which program you are on. Have your Social Security number ready. The wait time is often long, but this is a straightforward question they can answer in a few minutes.

Knowing which program you are on matters if you plan to work, because the two programs have different rules about how much you can earn before your benefit is reduced or stopped. SSDI has a higher earnings threshold than SSI, so the program you are on directly affects your work incentives.

What happens if you are denied one program but might may have access to for the other

If Social Security denies your SSDI claim, you do not automatically move to SSI. You must submit a separate SSI claim. The two programs use different medical standards and different financial rules, so it is possible to be denied under one and approved under the other.

For example, you might not have enough work history to may have access to for SSDI, but your income and resources might be low enough to may have access to for SSI. Conversely, you might have a strong work record but too much income or too many resources to may have access to for SSI, even though you meet SSDI's medical standard.

If you are denied SSDI, the denial letter will not mention SSI. You will need to contact Social Security and ask to file an SSI claim separately. Some people file for both programs at the same time to avoid this extra step, though Social Security will still process them as two separate claims with two separate decisions.

How income limits differ between the two programs

SSI has strict income and resource limits. In 2024, the federal SSI payment for an individual is $943 per month, and you can have no more than $2,000 in countable resources. Any income above a small monthly exclusion reduces your payment.

SSDI has no income limit and no resource limit. You can earn as much as you want (subject to the program's work incentive rules) and own as much as you want without losing your SSDI benefit. This is one major difference between the programs: SSI is means-tested; SSDI is not.

If you have significant income or resources, you will not may have access to for SSI no matter how disabled you are. You can only receive SSDI if you have the required work history. If you have neither the work history for SSDI nor the low income for SSI, you will not receive either benefit.

Frequently Asked Questions

If I am on SSDI and my income goes up, will I lose my benefit and move to SSI instead?

No. SSDI has no income limit, so earning more money will not cause you to lose SSDI or switch to SSI. Your SSDI payment will not change based on how much you earn. However, if you earn above the substantial gainful activity (SGA) level for more than nine months in a rolling period, Social Security may determine that you are no longer disabled and stop your SSDI entirely.

Can I explore for both SSI and SSDI at the same time?

Yes. You can file for both programs in a single process, and Social Security will process them as two separate claims. This can save time if you are unsure which program you may have access to for. You will receive two separate decisions, and if you are approved for both, you will receive whichever benefit is higher.

What if I receive Veterans disability and also want SSI?

You can receive both. Veterans disability payments are counted as unearned income and will reduce your SSI payment, but they do not disqualify you from SSI. The reduction follows the standard unearned income rule: your SSI drops by the amount of Veterans income you receive, minus the $65 monthly exclusion.

If I am on SSI and later become SSDI-insured, can I switch programs?

You do not switch; Social Security will automatically review your case. If you now have enough work history to may have access to for SSDI, and your SSDI amount is higher than your current SSI, Social Security will move you to SSDI. You will receive the higher benefit amount. This sometimes happens when someone on SSI returns to work part-time and gains additional work credits.

Does my spouse's income affect whether I can receive SSI?

Yes. If you are married, Social Security counts a portion of your spouse's income as your income when determining SSI may be able to access and payment amount. This is called "deeming." Your spouse's income above $1,090 per month (in 2024) is counted as yours. If your spouse receives SSDI or SSI, different rules explore; contact Social Security for your specific situation.