SSI Disability: Monthly Income Help for Children and Adults

Important: We updated this article in August 2024 after confirming all information below matches current Social Security Administration (SSA) policy. The Social Security Administration (SSA) issues Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), and retirement payments to eligible applicants. However, SSI is completely different than SSDI because it’s a monthly cash assistance program designed to help low-income Americans. One key difference is that older adults aged 65+ can qualify for SSI payments with little or no work history. In addition, the program pays SSI disability payments to disabled people younger than 65, including children.

Learn below how Supplemental Security Income payments work for disabled children and adults with little or no income. We’ll also contrast SSI benefits with the other SSA program that makes federal disability payments: SSDI.

What is Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)?

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is a program that covers most workers, along with Medicare. FICA payroll taxes fund SSDI benefits for workers who become disabled before age 67. If you’re found eligible, your dependent family members (like a spouse or children) may also qualify for benefits. And 24 months after SSDI payments begin, you also become eligible for Medicare coverage. Most people cannot access Medicare until after their 65th birthday.

Essentially, SSDI is like taking early withdrawal of your Social Security retirement benefits before you’re old enough to do so. SSDI pays your full Social Security benefit amount you’d normally draw at 67, and 30% more than early retirement. Once you turn 67 years old, the SSA automatically converts your monthly SSDI payments into retirement benefits. This means that nobody gets both regular Social Security and SSDI benefits at once. It’s impossible.

But for people receiving monthly SSI disability, payments don’t stop or convert on a specific birthday. If you’re over 65 years old, read on to learn how SSI benefits could help you even if you’re not disabled.

How SSI Disability Helps Those Who Can’t Rely on Traditional Social Security Payments

SSI disability isn’t just for those who haven’t paid Social Security taxes (or worked at all in recent years). For many families, it’s a lifeline for children born early, with developmental delays, or other mental and physical disabilities. Older adults may have to stop working for health reasons but still can’t draw Social Security, such as:

1. Teachers with pensions that pay less than $1,550 per month after age 65
2. People who don’t pay Social Security taxes, like bartenders, restaurant servers, truck drivers, contractors, and seasonal or temp workers.
3. Those who do qualify for Social Security, but get less than $1,550 each in retirement income. This would likely include:
   • Single retirees
   • Individuals widowed in their 50s/early 60s
   • Anyone drawing benefits on a family member’s work record

Who’s Eligible to Apply for Supplemental Security Income Disability Benefits?

Many older people are eligible for Supplemental Security Income but may not realize it. However, it’s easy enough to find out. To qualify for SSI disability payments, you must have limited income, few resources, and be at least one of the following:

• Disabled
• Blind
• 65 years old or older

If the SSA denied your SSDI application before you turned 65, now’s a good time to apply for Supplemental Security Income. Go back and look over your denial letter right now. Did you receive a technical denial for not enough work history? Then you may qualify for SSI disability now that you’re older. If you’re at least 65 and not getting Social Security retirement, apply for SSI — it can’t hurt to try! To check your eligibility, click the button below to get your free benefits evaluation today. You’ll see whether you pre-qualify for benefits before you start the application process.

How Much Does SSI Disability Pay Each Month?

The maximum monthly SSI payment for 2024 is the same amount nationwide. It maxes out at $943 for individuals, or $1415 for couples. However, you may get more money if you live in a state that supplements federal SSI benefits. And if you have other income (like a teacher’s pension), your SSI amount may be less.

Several other things about your life determine whether you may qualify for SSI disability — and how much. Your eligibility for SSI and payment amount depends on the following factors:

1. Current monthly income. This includes any money you receive, such as alimony, child support, or your spouse’s job wages. It also includes the value of items you get from someone else, such as free rent, transportation, and utilities. Different states have their own rules, so where you live affects how much extra money you get.
2. U.S. citizenship or lawful residency status. You must be a U.S. citizen or lawful non-citizen resident to collect SSI benefits. You must also live in the United States or Northern Mariana Islands, and not leave the country for more than 30 days at a time. Permanent residents can confirm eligibility for SSI prior to applying by calling 1-800-375-5283.
3. The resources you own (and their value) must fall below a certain dollar amount. You may qualify for SSI if the things you own are worth no more than $2,000 and you live alone. If you’re married or live with a partner, your combined assets must be worth no more than $3,000.

Important: The SSA doesn’t count everything you own towards this asset limit. Those things include the house you live in (if you own it), one household vehicle, and other basic needs. However, the SSA does count any cash, bank accounts, stocks, and bonds you own.

What Other Assistance May Be Available for Those on SSI Disability?

In certain states, once you qualify for SSI disability, state and local governments may provide additional aid, including:

• Medical benefits become available to you. In most states, people on SSI automatically get Medicaid coverage during their first full month of payments. Medicaid helps pay for your hospital stays, doctor’s bills, prescription drugs, and other health costs.
• Certain states provide extra cash payments to SSI beneficiaries. Those benefit payments are in addition to what the SSA pays you each month.
• Grocery bill assistance may also be available to you. Help paying for food/groceries may be available to SSI recipients, depending on where they live. In some states, your SSI claim also serves as an application for their food assistance program. The program that helps people pay for food every month is called the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

Important: You cannot apply online for SSI benefits anywhere at this time. Instead, you must file at a local Social Security office, over the phone, or through a nearby attorney.

Get Help Qualifying for Disability Benefits from the Social Security Administration

Still have questions? We can connect you with a local disability attorney for a free consultation to review your options. You’ll never pay for help filing your disability application out of your own pocket. Already applied, but denied benefits? The SSA is almost 3x more likely to approve your application within 6 months if you’re working with a lawyer. If you don’t win, you pay $0 for claim assistance — it’s just that simple. But if you do win, federal law says that you’ll only pay one small fee afterwards.

Want to triple your chances of getting disability benefits within months, not years? Click the button below to start your free online benefits quiz now and see if you may qualify:

your free disability benefits evaluation now.

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