Who SSI Covers

Social Security Income (SSI) is a federal cash benefit for people who are 65 or older, blind, or disabled — and who have very little income and resources. The program does not look at your work history the way Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) does. Instead, SSI looks at your current financial situation and your medical condition right now.

You must meet three separate requirements at the same time: you must be in one of the three categories (age, blindness, or disability), your monthly income must be below a certain amount, and your total resources (savings, property, vehicles) must be below a certain amount. If you fail any one of these tests, you do not receive SSI, even if you pass the other two.

The income and resource limits change each year. For 2024, the monthly income limit for an individual is $943 and the resource limit is $2,000. For a couple, the monthly income limit is $1,415 and the resource limit is $3,000. These numbers are set by the federal government and do not vary by state, though some states add their own money on top of the federal SSI payment.

Key Takeaways

  • SSI requires you to be 65 or older, blind, or disabled, and to have monthly income below $943 (individual) or $1,415 (couple) in 2024.
  • Your total savings, property, and other resources cannot exceed $2,000 (individual) or $3,000 (couple), and certain items like your home and one vehicle do not count toward this limit.
  • Income includes wages, unemployment, pensions, and support from family members, but not all income counts the same way — the SSA excludes the first $65 per month of earned income plus half of anything above that.
  • You must report changes to your income or resources within 10 days, or you may lose benefits or owe money back.
  • The Social Security Administration (SSA) makes the final decision about whether you meet the medical requirements, and the process typically takes three to six months.

How the SSA Counts Your Income

Not all money counts as income for SSI purposes. The Social Security Administration has specific rules about what reduces your benefit and what does not.

Earned income — money you make from working — gets special treatment. The SSA ignores the first $65 you earn per month, then counts half of everything above that. So if you earn $200 per month, the SSA counts only $67.50 as income ($200 minus $65, then half of the remaining $135). This rule is called the "earned income exclusion" and it exists to encourage people to work.

Unearned income — pensions, unemployment, gifts from family, rental income, interest from savings — counts dollar for dollar after a $20 monthly exclusion. If your adult child sends you $300 per month, the SSA counts $280 of it ($300 minus $20). If you receive a pension of $500 per month, the SSA counts $480.

Some income does not count at all: food stamps, housing information, most medical care paid by Medicaid, and the first $2,000 of a settlement or legal judgment in a given year. If you receive support from a family member who lives with you and does not charge you rent, the SSA may count part of that as "in-kind support and maintenance," which reduces your benefit by a set amount rather than counting the actual dollars.

What Resources Count Against You

Your resources are everything you own that can be turned into cash. The $2,000 limit (or $3,000 for a couple) includes savings accounts, checking accounts, stocks, bonds, and cash on hand. It also includes vehicles, except for one vehicle you use for transportation, no matter what it is worth.

Your primary home does not count, no matter how much it is worth. Land you own that is not your home counts fully. Household goods and personal effects do not count. A burial plot for you or your spouse does not count. Life insurance does not count if the face value is $1,500 or less; if it is more than $1,500, the cash surrender value counts toward your resource limit.

Money in a dedicated account for a disabled person's work incentives — called an ABLE account or a Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) — does not count toward the resource limit if it is set up correctly. These are special accounts designed to let you save money for work-related goals without losing SSI.

If you receive a lump sum — an inheritance, a settlement, a tax refund, back pay from a job — it counts as a resource when ready. If the lump sum pushes you over $2,000, you lose SSI that month. You can spend it down to get back under the limit, but you must do so quickly and keep records of what you spent it on.

Medical Requirements for Disability

If you are under 65 and not blind, you must have a medical condition that prevents you from working and is expected to last at least 12 months or result in death. The SSA does not straightforward take your word for this — they will request medical records from your doctors and may send you to a doctor they choose for an examination.

The condition must be severe enough that you cannot do any work that exists in the national economy, not just the job you used to do. This is a high bar. The SSA has a list of conditions that automatically meet this standard — these are called "listings" — but most people do not have a condition on the list. If your condition is not listed, the SSA will look at your age, education, work history, and what you can still do physically and mentally to decide whether you can work.

The SSA will ask you to describe your typical day, what pain or symptoms you experience, what medications you take and their side effects, and how your condition affects your ability to sit, stand, walk, lift, concentrate, and remember instructions. Bring detailed medical records, not just a letter from your doctor saying you cannot work. Records from hospitals, specialists, and therapists carry more weight than a single letter.

How to Report Changes and Avoid Overpayments

Once you are receiving SSI, you must report certain changes within 10 days. These include: a change in your living situation (moving, someone moving in or out), a change in your income or employment, a change in your resources (receiving money, selling property, opening a savings account), a change in your marital status, or a change in your citizenship status.

If you do not report a change and the SSA discovers it later, you may be overpaid — meaning you received more money than you were supposed to. The SSA will ask you to pay back the overpayment, sometimes by reducing your monthly benefit by a small amount over time. If the overpayment was your fault (you knew about the change and did not report it), the SSA can reduce your benefit by up to 10 percent per month until the debt is paid. If it was the SSA's fault, they cannot reduce your benefit by more than 10 percent per month.

The easiest way to avoid problems is to contact your local Social Security office or call 1-800-772-1213 whenever something changes. You can also report changes online through your my Social Security account if you have created one.

State Supplements and How They Affect Your Benefit

Some states add their own money to the federal SSI payment. These are called state supplements, and they vary widely. California, New York, and Massachusetts pay substantial supplements; other states pay very little or nothing. If you move to a different state, your benefit may go up or down.

State supplements follow the same income and resource rules as federal SSI. If you are over the income or resource limit for federal SSI, you are also ineligible for the state supplement. Some states have slightly different rules — for example, a few states count a vehicle differently or have a higher resource limit — so it is worth asking your local Social Security office what the rules are in your state.

If you receive SSI, you are automatically enrolled in Medicaid in most states. This is one of the biggest benefits of SSI, because Medicaid covers medical care, prescription drugs, and long-term care. A few states require you to explore for Medicaid separately, so ask when you explore for SSI.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get SSI if I am working part-time?

Yes. The earned income exclusion means the SSA ignores the first $65 per month you earn, then counts half of anything above that. If you earn $200 per month, only $67.50 counts as income. You can work and still receive SSI as long as your total income (earned plus unearned) stays below the monthly limit and your resources stay below $2,000.

What happens to my SSI if I inherit money?

An inheritance counts as a resource when ready. If it pushes you over $2,000, you lose SSI that month. You can spend the money down to get back under the limit, but you must do so quickly. Some expenses (paying off debt, buying a home, medical care) are easier to document than others. Contact your local Social Security office before you spend a large inheritance to ask what counts as a valid use of the money.

Do I have to be a U.S. citizen to get SSI?

No, but you must be a lawful permanent resident or in one of a few other specific immigration statuses. Undocumented immigrants are not may be able to access. If you are not sure about your immigration status, bring your documents to your local Social Security office and ask — they can tell you whether you meet the requirement.

Can I get SSI if I am already receiving Social Security Disability Insurance?

Possibly. If your SSDI benefit is very low and your income and resources are low enough, you may receive a small SSI payment on top of your SSDI. This is called "concurrent benefits." The SSA will determine this when you explore for SSI — you do not have to figure it out yourself.

How long does it take to learn about I may have access to?

The initial decision typically takes three to six months, though it can take longer if the SSA needs additional medical records or wants you to see a doctor for an examination. If the SSA denies your claim, you can request reconsideration, which takes another two to three months. If you are denied again, you can request a hearing before an administrative law judge, which can take six months to over a year depending on your local office's backlog.