Who is eligible for SSI?

Supplemental Security Income(SSI) is a financial assistance program for anyone who has

• Limited income, and
• Limited resources.

Who is

• Disabled,
• Blind, or
• Aged (65 or older);

And who meets certain other requirements. More information about eligibility can be found on the SSA website.

Unlike Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), SSI is not based on your work history. You may be eligible for SSI even if you have never worked or do not meet the taxable income requirement for SSDI.

Maximum SSI amounts for 2024

As of January 2024, The maximum SSI payment is

• $ 943 per month for one person, 
• $ 1,415 per month for a couple, if both spouses are eligible for SSI.

If Social Security decides that you are eligible for SSI, you may get back benefits from one month after you applied for SSI to the time the application is approved as long as you were disabled during that time. For this reason, it is important to apply for benefits as soon as possible. 

What counts as "income"?

To be eligible for SSI, your income, minus any deductions, must be less than the SSI benefit amount. 

Income includes: 

• Money that you earn from work,
• Money from other sources such as benefits, pensions, investment income, and gift,
• Food or housing that someone gives you for free, and
• Some of the income of your spouse, parent, or sponsor, if you live with them.

More information about countable income can be found on the SSA website.

What counts as "resources"?

Along with an income limit, the SSI program has a limit on assets or "resources." To qualify for SSI, the limit on resources is $2,000 for an individual or $3,000 for a couple. 

Resources mean anything you own that has value, including:

• Cash,
• Bank accounts,
• Stocks,
• Real estate, and
• Vehicles.

There are exceptions that do not count as resources, including:

• The house you live in,
• One vehicle used for your household's transportation,
• Your household goods, and
• Your personal effects. 

More information about countable resources can be found on the SSA website.

What does "disabled" mean for an adult?

The 5 step process for determining disability for adults is the same as for SSDI.

What does "disabled" mean for a child?

In deciding whether your child is disabled and eligible for SSI, SSA uses the following 4 step process:

• Step 1: Is your child working and earning at least $1,550 per month? If yes, then SSA considers your child not disabled. If no, go to Step 2.
• Step 2: Does your child have a severe medical condition that causes more than minimal problems in their ability to perform basic physical or mental activities? If yes, go to Step 3.
• Step 3: Is your child's medical condition on SSA's Listing of Impairments for Children? If yes, then SSA considers your child disabled. If no, go to Step 4.
• Step 4: Does your child's medical condition functionally equal one of the conditions on the Listing of Impairments for Children? If yes, then SSA considers your child disabled.

In step 4, SSA evaluates your child's condition based on six domains of functioning, including:

• Acquiring and using information,
• Attending and completing tasks,
• Interacting and relating with others,
• Moving about and manipulating objects,
• Caring for themselves, and
• Health and physical wellbeing.

Your child must have an "extreme" limitation in at least one domain or a "marked" limitation in at least two domains to be considered disabled.