SSI is a needs-based disability program that the Social Security Administration (SSA) offers. SSI is for people with low income and resources, who have not worked, did not work enough, or were never given the opportunity to work, such as children. In addition to meeting the medical criteria, one must also meet the income and resource requirements to be eligible for this program.

How To Apply

Call your local field office and make an appointment, either face-to-face or over the phone. Find your local office here.

Call the national SSA office and make an appointment at your local office at 1-800-772-1213.

Submit an application online by going to www.ssa.gov and click “Apply.”

 

Things to Know When Applying for SSI

• Applications generally take 90-120 days for a medical decision to be made.
• Medical decisions are not made at the local field offices. They are sent to the corresponding Disability Determination Services Office (DDS).
• Some people may be required to see Independent Medical Assessment (IMA) in order to be evaluated. IMA contracts with SSA and assesses people’s ability to work and whether they meet the medical criteria for disability benefits.

 

Protective Filing Date

The protective filing date is the date someone first expresses interest in applying for the SSI program. For example, if you call SSA on June 1^st to make an appointment to file for SSI, but they can’t take your application until July 17^th, the protective filing date is June 1st, even though they didn’t apply until July. This is important when someone gets approved because cash benefits begin the month after the protective filing date, or the month after the first month the individual is eligible, whichever is later. This is also important during the appeal process, because if the unfavorable decision gets overturned, SSA may honor the original protective filing date, creating a retroactive payment due.

 

Pre-Effectuation Review Contact (PERC)

Once approved, beneficiaries or their representative must complete a PERC to ensure the beneficiary continues to meet the financial eligibility requirements before benefits can be paid out. A PERC is not necessary if a full application was initially taken. After the PERC is completed, a Notice of Award will be mailed to the beneficiary or their representative which details the amount of money they’ll be getting, where the money will be sent, and when.

 

Dedicated Accounts

For children under 18, if the retroactive payment due is more than six times the federal benefit amount, then a dedicated account needs to be opened. This is a special type of account where there are restrictions on how the funds can be spent. This account must be separate from the account used to collect the monthly benefit, so funds are not comingled. Funds must be used for the benefit of the child and must be related to their impairment. Funds cannot be used to meet basic needs such as food, clothing, or shelter. The monthly SSI benefit is intended for this use. For people over the age of 18 who accrue more than six months of retroactive benefits, it will be split into installments rather than one lump sum.

 

Income and Resource Limits

Any other source of income will likely reduce the SSI benefit amount. The higher the income, the lower the SSI will be. For people who are working, SSA excludes more than half of the wages before it starts to impact the benefit amount. Therefore, if someone wishes to work, there is an incentive in doing so, as wages are not counted dollar for dollar. Social Security uses a formula to determine the amount of countable wages and then calculates what the SSI benefit will be. For example, in 2025, if someone is grossing $1,200 a month in wages, only $557.50 of the $1,200 is considered countable, and they’d be eligible for $409 a month in SSI benefits.

 

Different income is counted different ways. Some examples of countable income:

• Child Support (1/3 of Child Support received is excluded until age 18)
• Wages
• Veteran’s Benefits
• Bureau of Indian Affairs
• Black Lung (Coal miners compensation)
• Adoption, Foster Care, or Kinship Guardianship Assistance
• Disaster Relief
• Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF)
• Refugee Assistance
• Private disability, retirement, or survivor benefits
• Gifts, lottery winnings, settlements

 

Income exclusions and calculations should be done by a claims representative at your local SSA field office. People can call the office, provide their household information and income amounts to see if they would be eligible before submitting an entire application.

 

A resource is money, as well as something you own, that can be turned into cash. The resource limit for an individual is $2,000 and $3,000 for a couple. For SSI purposes, the value of the resource is considered on the 1st of every month. Some examples of countable resources are:

• Bank Accounts
• Stocks, Bonds, or Mutual Funds
• Life Insurance
• Vehicles

• • If only one vehicle is owned, the value is excluded entirely. If a someone owns more than one vehicle, SSI excludes the one of higher value.

• Property

• • If the only property someone owns is the home they live in, then the value is excluded entirely, as long as it’s their primary residence

• Work Equipment of Value
• Burial Funds/Spaces
• Promissory Notes, Loans, or Property Agreements
• Savings Bonds

 

Protecting Resources

There are options available for people to protect their resources from being counted against them for certain needs-based benefits. These options include opening an ABLE account or a special needs trust. With these accounts, people can exceed the traditional resource limits without penalty, as long as SSA and Medicaid have approved the accounts. For trusts, there must be language explicitly stating that upon death of the beneficiary, the remaining funds up to the total medical assistance paid on behalf of the individual, will be returned to Medicaid. Otherwise, SSA will not exclude the value of the trust. Trusts can protect excess resources and income.

 

Special Resource Exclusions

• If someone receives a federal tax refund, which makes them exceed the resource limit, Social Security will allow someone 12 months before counting it as a resource. Proof must be provided to your local field office.
• If someone receives a retroactive lump sum from Social Security, which puts them over the resource limit, Social Security allows 9 months from the time of receipt before it’s counted as a resource.

 

Living Arrangements

Someone’s living arrangement can impact the amount of money they get from SSI. There are several living arrangement codes, which Social Security assigns. If someone is over the age of 18, they’re expected to contribute to the household, even if they live with family. If they are not contributing, or not contributing enough, their benefit will be reduced. They must be meeting their fair share of the household expenses to be eligible for the maximum benefit amount.

Social Security considers the following expenses when determining what the fair share is:

• Rent or mortgage amount
• Taxes
• Heat
• Electric
• Fuel
• Water
• Sewer
• Garbage

 

In-Kind Support and Maintenance (ISM)

ISM occurs when someone else pays a portion of a beneficiary’s shelter expenses, which reduces their SSI amount. The value of ISM is 1/3 of the federal benefit rate (VTR) or the presumed maximum value (PMV). For more information please visit the SSA website.

 

The Significance of Age 18

Social Security considers parental income and resources for children under the age of 18 if they live in the same household. Once someone attains age 18, parental deeming stops. At that time, the only income/resources that count are those of the person applying or receiving benefits. Therefore, some people may not be eligible for SSI until they turn 18.

 

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Medicaid

Anyone on SSI automatically qualifies for Medicaid. This means as long as the SSI remains in pay, even if it’s only $20 a month, the Medicaid remains active. Having Medicaid through SSI allows people to avoid the annual recertification process, which means people in receipt of SSI do not need to recertify for Medicaid: The process is done automatically.

 

Benefit Amounts

SSI is a needs-based program, so there is cap on the amount someone can receive. It changes each year with the Cost of Living Adjustment, and in 2025, the maximum federal benefit rate is $967. This amount can be reduced by other income or someone’s living arrangement. There are other variables to consider that may impact benefit amounts, such as age, household size, the number of children in the household who are not disabled, living arrangement type, and contribution to household expenses.

 

If two people are married, both collecting SSI and living in the same household, the individual benefit rate gets reduced and they collect a couple’s rate.

 

Redeterminations

These types of reviews are specific to SSI recipients and are done typically every two years, unless there are a lot of changes on the record, such as someone having several jobs. These reviews ensure continued eligibility from an income and resource standpoint. They do not review medical information. These types of reviews are required for everyone in receipt of these benefits and help people from being overpaid.