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Qualifying for Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

The SSI program (Supplemental Security Income) provides payments to adults or children who are disabled and have limited income and resources. Qualifying for SSI is a complex process that involves meeting specific income and resource (asset) requirements. If your income and resources are too high, you'll be turned down for benefits no matter how severe your medical disorders are. Unlike regular Social Security benefits, you don’t need a work history to qualify for SSI—eligibility is based solely on your financial need.

The articles on this page explain how the Social Security Administration determines eligibility for SSI, including the income and resource limits. Readers will also learn about how to apply for SSI, how much SSI pays, and whether you can work while collecting SSI.

The amount of your monthly SSI check will depend on whether you're single or married, live alone or with others, and have other income or not.

To get disability benefits from SSI, you can't have much income or assets, though Social Security gives you some breaks when counting your income.

The Social Security Administration's rules for determining a person's income are a common source of confusion for SSI applicants because not all income is counted.

Applying for Social Security disability benefits can be a long and frustrating process, but some SSI applicants can qualify fort immediate benefits.

You can work as long as your countable income doesn't go above the SSI income limit.

Under SSI rules, free room and board count as in-kind income and can reduce your monthly benefit payment.

Social Security will ignore your federal tax refund for 12 months; after that, if you have too much money, you could lose your SSI benefits.

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SSI can help pay for food, shelter, and services for children with special needs.

If your child has a disability that greatly affects their ability to function, they may qualify to receive Social Security disability benefits.

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