You can receive both Social Security and SSI, but how much you get from each depends on your age, work history, and household income

The short answer is yes — you can collect both programs at once. However, receiving one affects how much you get from the other. Social Security and SSI are separate programs with different rules, but they are linked in how much money lands in your account each month.

If you are already receiving Social Security retirement or disability benefits, you may also receive SSI if your total income falls below the SSI income limit. The SSI program then pays you the difference between what you get from Social Security and the SSI payment amount for your state. This is called deemed income — Social Security counts as income that reduces your SSI check.

The reverse is also true: if you are receiving SSI first and then become may have access to to Social Security, your SSI payment shrinks or stops depending on how much Social Security you receive.

Key Takeaways

  • You can receive both Social Security and SSI in the same month, but Social Security income reduces your SSI payment dollar-for-dollar after a small exclusion.
  • SSI has strict income and resource limits; receiving Social Security counts as income that may lower or eliminate your SSI benefit.
  • The order in which you start receiving benefits does not matter — the income rules explore either way.
  • Your state of residence affects your SSI payment amount, so two people receiving the same Social Security benefit may get different total payments.
  • You must report any change in your Social Security amount to your local SSA office, as it directly affects your SSI payment.

How Social Security income reduces your SSI payment

SSI is a needs-based program, which means it looks at your income and resources to decide how much to pay you. Social Security retirement or disability benefits count as income. When you report your Social Security to SSI, the program subtracts it from the maximum SSI payment amount for your state.

There is a small exclusion: SSI ignores the first $20 of your monthly unearned income (which includes Social Security). After that $20, dollar-for-dollar reduction applies. If you receive $800 in Social Security and the federal SSI payment is $943 per month, SSI would pay you $163 (the $943 maximum minus $780, which is the $800 Social Security payment minus the $20 exclusion).

Some states add their own money on top of the federal SSI payment. If your state does, the reduction still applies to the state portion. Your total check shrinks by nearly the full amount of your Social Security benefit, minus that $20 exclusion.

Resource limits and how they work with both programs

SSI has a strict resource limit: you can own no more than $2,000 in countable resources as an individual, or $3,000 if you are married. Resources include cash, bank accounts, stocks, and property you own (with some exceptions). Social Security does not have a resource limit — you can have a million dollars in the bank and still receive your full benefit.

When you receive both programs, only the SSI resource limit matters for your SSI payment. However, if your resources exceed the SSI limit, you lose SSI entirely. Your Social Security continues regardless. Some resources do not count toward the limit: your home, one vehicle, household goods, and personal items are excluded. Certain retirement accounts and burial funds also do not count.

If you are close to the resource limit, you should report any large deposits or inheritances to your local SSA office before they affect your SSI. Some people can set up an ABLE account (Achieving a Better Life Experience) to hold money without losing SSI, though rules explore.

Work incentives and how they explore when you have both benefits

If you work while receiving SSI, the program has work incentives that let you earn money without losing your full benefit. SSI excludes the first $65 of monthly earnings plus half of anything above that. So if you earn $200 a month, SSI counts only $135 as income ($200 minus $65, then half of the remaining $135).

Social Security has different work incentives depending on whether you are on retirement or disability benefits. If you are on Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), you can work and test your ability to do substantial work without losing benefits during a trial work period. If you are on retirement benefits, earnings above a certain amount reduce your benefit until you reach full retirement age.

The key point: work incentives for SSI and Social Security operate separately. You need to understand both sets of rules if you are working and receiving both programs. Contact your local SSA office or a work incentives planning specialist before taking a job to understand how your earnings will affect each benefit.

What happens when your Social Security amount changes

Social Security benefits change when you reach certain ages or when the program makes a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) each year. When your Social Security payment goes up, your SSI payment goes down by nearly the same amount (minus that $20 exclusion). Your total income rises slightly, but most of the increase goes to Social Security rather than SSI.

You must report any change in your Social Security to SSI within 10 days. If you do not report it, you may receive an overpayment that SSI will ask you to repay. The easiest way to report is to call your local SSA office or visit ssa.gov. If your Social Security decreases, your SSI payment increases to make up most of the difference.

Cost-of-living adjustments happen automatically — you do not need to do anything. SSI will adjust your payment based on the new Social Security amount. However, if you receive a one-time payment (such as a back-pay settlement), report that separately, as it may affect your resources or income for that month.

State supplements and how they affect your total payment

The federal SSI payment is the same nationwide, but 11 states and Washington, D.C. add their own money on top: California, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Mississippi, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont. If you live in one of these states, your total SSI payment is higher than the federal amount alone.

State supplements follow the same income rules as federal SSI. When your Social Security goes up, your state supplement shrinks along with your federal SSI payment. The reduction applies to the combined amount. If you move to a different state, your payment amount changes to match your new state's rules.

Some states also have their own resource limits or rules that differ slightly from federal SSI. Before you move or make a large financial decision, check with your local SSA office about how your state's rules will affect your payment.

When you should report changes to SSA

You must report changes that affect your income or resources within 10 days. This includes a new Social Security payment, a raise at work, money you inherit, or a change in your living situation. If you receive both Social Security and SSI, reporting is especially important because a change in one benefit affects the other.

You can report changes by phone, mail, or in person at your local SSA office. Online reporting is available for some changes through my Social Security (ssa.gov). If you miss the 10-day window, you may owe money back to SSI. If SSI overpays you because you did not report a change, the program will recover the overpayment by reducing future checks or asking you to repay it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does getting Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) automatically disqualify me from SSI?

No. SSDI and SSI are separate programs. You can receive both if your SSDI payment is low enough that your total income falls below the SSI limit for your state. However, your SSDI counts as income that reduces your SSI payment. Many people on SSDI receive a small SSI supplement if their SSDI is below the SSI maximum.

What if I receive Social Security as a dependent or survivor?

Dependent and survivor benefits count as income for SSI purposes, just like retirement or disability benefits do. If you are a child receiving benefits on a parent's record, or a widow receiving survivor benefits, that money reduces your SSI payment by nearly the full amount (minus the $20 exclusion).

Can I have a representative payee for both Social Security and SSI?

Yes. A representative payee is someone who receives your benefits on your behalf and manages the money for you. You can have the same payee for both programs, or different payees if needed. The payee must account for how the money is spent and report to SSA annually.

What if my Social Security payment is more than the SSI maximum?

If your Social Security benefit exceeds the SSI payment amount for your state, you receive only Social Security and no SSI. You are no longer may be able to access for SSI because your income is too high. However, you remain may be able to access for Medicaid in most states if you are receiving Social Security Disability Insurance, even if you do not receive SSI.

Do I need to report my Social Security to SSI every month?

No. Once you report your Social Security amount to SSI, the program uses that figure to calculate your payment each month. You only need to report a change if your Social Security amount increases or decreases. Annual cost-of-living adjustments happen automatically without you reporting them.