Did you know you may be able to get monthly payments from the federal Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program?

SSI helps older adults and people with disabilities who have very limited income and resources with monthly payments up to $943 for 1 person or up to $1,415 for a couple. In fact, more than 2 million older adults already benefit from this Social Security Administration (SSA) program.

 

How do I qualify for SSI?

You may be able to get SSI if you:

  • Are at least age 65 or are blind or disabled
  • Have limited income and resources 
  • Meet residency rules

Let us take a closer look at these guidelines.

What counts as blindness and a disability?

If younger than age 65, you must either be blind or have a disability to qualify. To be considered blind, you must either:

  • Have vision of 20/200 or less in your better eye even with the use of glasses or
  • Have tunnel vision of 20 degrees or less even with the use of glasses

To be considered disabled, you must have a disability that:

  • Prevents you from being able to work for a year or more or 
  • Will result in death or
  • Greatly limits daily activity (for children)

How are the income limits?

For individuals, monthly income must fall below $1,971 if only from work or below $963 if not from work. For couples, monthly income must fall below $2,915 if only from work or below $1,435 if not from work. 

If approved, your income also affects your SSI payment amount.

What counts as income?

SSI counts some types of income but not others toward the limit. Types of counted income include:

  • Earned income, like wages
  • Unearned income, like Social Security benefits and pensions
  • In-kind income, like food and shelter you get for free or a lowered price
  • Deemed income, like part of your spouse's income

Types of income not counted include:

Your counted income is subtracted from the maximum SSI benefit. What remains is your SSI payment amount. 

What about other resources?

To qualify, you can have up to $2,000 in resources for an individual or up to $3,000 in resources for a couple.

Countable resources include:

  • Cash and bank accounts
  • Stocks, mutual funds, and U.S. savings bonds
  • Anything that can be sold for cash and used for food and shelter

Things not counted as resources include:

  • The home you live in and its land 
  • 1 vehicle for transportation
  • Household goods and personal items
  • Life insurance policies totaling $1,500 or less

What are the residency rules?

You must be a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or noncitizen meeting certain rules. You can qualify if you live in any of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, or the Northern Mariana Islands.

How do I apply for SSI?

Check if you qualify and get a "protective filing date" with SSA's online tool. This date is used to decide when your payments start if approved. 

To apply, call the SSA at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) to make an appointment at the Social Security office near you.

If you are looking for other types of help, you can use the website you are on right now. BenefitsCheckUp.org can connect you with other programs that can help you pay for food, medicine, and more. Start by clicking here and then enter your ZIP code in the box on the left.