You cannot receive the full amount of both SSI and SSDI simultaneously, but you can receive a reduced SSI payment while also collecting SSDI.

The Social Security Administration treats SSI and SSDI as separate programs with different rules about overlapping payments. If you receive SSDI, your SSDI payment counts as income when SSI calculates what you should receive. SSI then reduces your payment dollar-for-dollar by the amount of your SSDI check, minus a small income exclusion. This means you will not get the full benefit from both programs, but you may still receive some SSI money on top of your SSDI.

The exact amount of SSI you receive depends on your SSDI payment size, your state of residence (if you live in a state that adds money to federal SSI), and whether you have other income. Some people find that receiving both programs together gives them more total monthly income than either program alone would provide.

Key Takeaways

  • SSDI income reduces your SSI payment by the same amount, so you cannot collect the full benefit from both programs at once.
  • You may still receive a partial SSI payment if your SSDI amount is lower than the SSI federal benefit rate for your situation.
  • Some states add extra money to SSI payments, which can increase your total income even when SSDI reduces your federal SSI amount.
  • Your SSDI payment is based on your own work history, while SSI is based on financial need, so the two programs serve different purposes.
  • If you become disabled before age 22 and a parent receives Social Security retirement or disability benefits, you may receive benefits on their record instead of or in addition to your own.

How SSI Counts Your SSDI as Income

When you receive SSDI, the Social Security Administration counts that payment as unearned income on your SSI case. SSI has an income limit: if your total monthly income exceeds a certain amount, you receive no SSI payment at all. The federal SSI income limit changes each year. In 2024, the limit is $1,943 per month for an individual, though this figure varies by year and your living situation.

SSI does exclude the first $65 of any monthly income, plus half of income above that amount. However, this exclusion rarely helps when you are receiving SSDI, because SSDI payments are typically much larger than $65. If your SSDI payment is $900 and the SSI federal benefit rate is $943, SSI would reduce your payment to $43 (the difference between the benefit rate and your SSDI income).

Your state may also run a supplemental SSI program that adds money to your federal SSI payment. If you live in a state with supplemental SSI, your SSDI will reduce that state payment as well, but the state amount may still give you additional income beyond your SSDI alone.

When You Might Receive Both Programs Together

You are most likely to receive both SSI and SSDI together when your SSDI payment is relatively small. This can happen if you worked for only a short time before becoming disabled, or if your earnings history was low. A smaller SSDI payment leaves room for SSI to add a partial benefit on top.

You may also receive both if you have a child who is disabled. Parents can receive SSDI based on their own work history, and a disabled child can receive SSI based on financial need. These are separate payments to different people, not a reduction of one by the other.

Another scenario involves Disabled Adult Child (DAC) benefits. If you became disabled before age 22 and your parent receives Social Security retirement or disability benefits, you may receive DAC benefits on your parent's record. If those DAC benefits are small, you might also receive SSI. The DAC payment would reduce your SSI the same way SSDI does.

State Supplemental Payments and Your Total Income

Fourteen states run their own supplemental SSI programs: California, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island. These states add money to the federal SSI payment for people who meet their state rules.

If you live in one of these states and receive both SSDI and SSI, your SSDI will reduce your federal SSI payment, but the state supplement may still provide additional money. For example, if you receive $500 in SSDI and live in a state with a $100 monthly supplement, your federal SSI might be reduced to zero, but you could still receive the state supplement. Your total income would be $600 instead of $500 from SSDI alone.

The amount of state supplemental payment varies by state and by your living situation (whether you live alone, with family, or in a group setting). Contact your state's SSI program directly to learn what supplement amount you may receive.

How to Report Both Programs to Social Security

If you currently receive SSDI and want to explore for SSI, or if you receive SSI and become may be able to access for SSDI, you must report this change to Social Security. You can report a change by calling Social Security at 1-800-772-1213, visiting your local Social Security office, or using your my Social Security account online.

Social Security will not automatically combine your applications or adjust your payments without you reporting the change. If you fail to report that you now receive both programs, you may be overpaid on one benefit and then owe money back later. It is your responsibility to keep Social Security informed of any changes in your benefits or income.

When you report, have your SSDI award letter or payment statement ready so Social Security can see your SSDI amount. Social Security will then recalculate your SSI payment to account for your SSDI income.

What Happens to Your Benefits If Your SSDI Changes

If your SSDI payment increases, your SSI payment will decrease by the same amount (or disappear entirely if the increase is large enough). If your SSDI payment decreases, your SSI payment may increase to make up some of the difference, as long as your total income stays below the SSI limit.

If your SSDI ends because you no longer meet the disability rules, your SSI payment may increase significantly. Social Security will recalculate your SSI based only on your other income and resources. This recalculation can take several weeks, so there may be a gap in your total benefits during the transition.

If you are working and earning money, that work income also counts toward your SSI limit. Both SSDI and work income reduce your SSI payment, so your total benefit situation becomes more complex. Social Security has work incentive programs that exclude some work income from SSI calculations, but you must report your work to Social Security to use these programs.

Frequently Asked Questions

If I get SSDI, can I also get SSI without losing money?

You will not lose your SSDI, but your SSI payment will be reduced by your SSDI amount. You may still receive some SSI if your SSDI payment is lower than the SSI benefit rate, or if you live in a state with supplemental SSI that adds extra money. Your total income from both programs combined will be more than SSDI alone in some cases.

What is the income limit for SSI if I also receive SSDI?

The SSI income limit is the same whether you receive SSDI or not. In 2024, the federal limit is $1,943 per month for an individual, though this changes yearly. Your SSDI payment counts as income toward this limit. If your SSDI alone exceeds the limit, you will not receive any federal SSI, though you may still receive state supplemental SSI if you live in a participating state.

Do I have to report to Social Security that I now receive both SSDI and SSI?

Yes. You must report any change in your benefits or income to Social Security within ten days of the change. You can report by phone at 1-800-772-1213, in person at your local office, or through your my Social Security account. Failing to report can result in overpayment and a debt you will owe back.

Can my child receive both SSI and SSDI?

A child can receive SSI based on financial need and also receive SSDI or DAC benefits based on a parent's work record. These are separate payments. The SSDI or DAC payment will reduce the child's SSI the same way adult SSDI reduces adult SSI, but the child may still receive some SSI on top.

What states add extra money to SSI payments?

California, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island run supplemental SSI programs. These states add money to federal SSI payments for people who meet their state rules. Contact your state's SSI program to learn the supplement amount you may receive.