Who can get Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) SSI provides monthly payments to people with disabilities and older adults who have little or no income or resources.

SSI/SSDI

8/22/20241 min read

Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

SSI provides monthly payments to people with disabilities and older adults who have little or no income or resources.

Who can get SSI

Adults and children might be eligible for SSI if they have:

  1. Little or no income, and

  2. Little or no resources, and

  3. A disability, blindness, or are age 65 or older.

Find out if you might be eligible for SSI

How much you could get

Your monthly payment depends on your income, living situation, things you own, and other factors.

The maximum monthly SSI payment for 2024 is $943 for an individual and $1,415 for a couple. Your amount may be lower based on your income, certain family members’ income, your living situation, and other factors.

How income affects your payment

For every $2 you earn from work, we reduce your SSI payment by about $1. Work includes:

  • A job

  • Self-employment

  • Any activity that earns money

For every $1 you get from non-work sources, we reduce your SSI payment by about $1. Non-work sources includes:

  • Disability benefits

  • Unemployment payments

  • Pensions

If you live with a spouse, their income may affect your payment.

Children on SSI who live with their parents may have their payments lowered based on their income or their parents' income.

Learn more about how income affects your payment

Living with others may affect your payment

If you live in someone else’s home and don’t pay your fair share of food and shelter costs, your SSI payment may be lowered by up to $334.33.

Learn more about how living arrangements affect your payment

Extra support from your state

Some states offer an extra payment called a “state supplement” to help with food and shelter costs. This type of payment won’t reduce your SSI.

See which states offer supplements

The Trusted Social Security Advisors blog is all about making sense out of Social Security benefits. The information we provide is based on our understanding of the rules that govern the Social Security Administration and should not substitute for advice from your own financial, legal, or tax advisors