Countable Income for SSI

One of the biggest differences between Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security disability insurance (SSDI) is that SSI is a needs-based disability program, while SSDI is available only to those who have worked a certain number of years. This means that a person applying for SSI must have an income and assets below a certain threshold in order to be eligible for disability benefits. The Social Security Administration's (SSA's) rules for determining a person's income are a common source of confusion for SSI applicants because not all income is counted.

Individuals with "countable income" over the federal benefit rate (FBR)—$914 for individuals and $1,371 for married couples, in 2023—are not eligible for SSI. Those who have some countable income, totaling less than the FBR, will have their monthly SSI payments reduced by the amount of their countable income. If an individual has absolutely no countable income and is approved for SSI, he or she will receive the total federal benefit rate each month.

To determine whether you financially qualify for SSI and how much you might receive each month if your case is approved, you will need to know what kinds of income SSA considers to be "countable" and what kinds of income are exempt.

What Social Security Does Not Count as Income

The first $20 of income you receive in a month is not counted, whether it comes from earned income (wages or self-employment income) or unearned income (like Social Security payments, unemployment benefits, or gifts). In addition, the first $65 of earned income, and half of all earned income over $65 each month, is not counted. Here are several more common services and payments that SSA does not count as income:

• food stamps
• medical care
• cash loans or "in-kind" (non-monetary) loans that you have agreed to repay
• grants and scholarships used for educational expenses
• income tax refunds
• home energy assistance
• food or shelter provided by a nonprofit agency
• state or local needs-based assistance
• disability-related work expenses
• for students under 22, earned income of not more than $2,220 per month or $8,950 per year (in 2023)
• money spent by others on your expenses, including your phone bills, utility bills, or medical bills (anything other than food and shelter).

This example may help to illustrate SSI's countable income rules:

Other Factors That Affect Your Monthly SSI Amount

There are two particular situations that many SSI recipients are surprised to learn can affect the amount of their monthly payment. The first applies to married SSI applicants living with their spouses, the second to SSI applications whose friends or relatives are giving them free room and board.

Married SSI Disability Applicants

For married SSI recipients living with spouses who don't receive SSI, Social Security will often count some of the income from the spouse not receiving SSI in determining the SSI amount. This is called "deeming income" and it applies to spouses earning over $457 a month. If the married couple has children in the home, the threshold increases by $457 for each child.

Not all of a spouse's income will be deemed to the SSI recipient, due to various exemptions, but it is possible that a spouse's income will disqualify a person from SSI benefits. Social Security will perform calculations on the spouse's income to come up with a countable income amount. (For the details on spousal deeming, see our article when a spouse's income affects SSI benefits.)

Also, note that if both spouses are living together and receiving SSI, the total amount they will receive is less than if they were living separately. (The couples' rate for 2023 is $1,371 while the individual rate is $914.)

Help With Room and Board

Individuals receiving free (or reduced-cost) room and board may see their SSI benefits reduced by as much as one-third. (For the details on what's called in-kind income and in-kind maintenance and support, see our article how in-kind income and support affect your SSI payment.)

Some SSI recipients get around this by saying that the free room and board is a loan, rather than a gift. The best way to show this, so that SSA does count the free room and board against you, is to sign a contract promising to repay the value of what is received. This contract should be signed by the SSI applicant and the person providing the room and board, and it should be submitted to Social Security as soon as possible after you apply for benefits.

State Supplementary Payments

Some states pay an additional monthly amount to SSI recipients. This amount not only affects how much money you'll receive each month, but whether you'll qualify for SSI in your state. See our article on SSI state supplements for more information.

Countable Assets for SSI

Finally, note that Social Security looks at your assets in addition to your income to determine SSI eligibility, and it probably comes as no surprise that some assets are not counted, such as the house you live in, the car you drive, and many household goods and personal items.

Updated October 18, 2022