SSI

SSI is one of the benefit programs that are available from the Social Security Administration. SSI stands for Supplemental Security Income. Typically SSI is awarded to seniors, children, and disabled adults who have never been able to hold a job because of their health. Adults who have worked or are capable of work can apply for Social Security disability benefits.

If children are awarded SSI because of an illness or disability the money is paid to their parents but must be used for their expenses. Because SSI is intended to help people who have no other source of income and few assets there are some restrictions and regulations that people must meet in order to qualify for SSI.

Eligibility Requirements

Who is eligible for SSI? Technically any adult who has a disability or illness that has never allowed them to work or a child with a serious health condition can apply for SSI.

Typically in order to meet the eligibility requirements for SSI you must be the parent of a child with a disability or an adult that is blind, has a disability, or is over the age of 65 and has limited income and resources.

But there are a set of restrictions and limits that the Social Security Administration has created to ensure that the money from SSI is going to people of limited resources who otherwise wouldn’t have any way to pay their living expenses.

Income Limits For SSI

The Social Security Administration has set an income limit for adults that are applying for SSI. In most cases adults that are applying for SSI can’t work at all so they have no income. But if adults do work the SSA will reduce the amount of their benefit based on the amount of money that they earn. Pensions, child support, and interest from bank accounts or investments all count as income. The SSA will start reducing the benefit that person is qualified for by 50 cents for every dollar the person earns after the first $65.

Parents that are applying for SSI for a child must earn less than the income cap set by the SSA in order for the child to be eligible. And parents must be able to document their income with a Federal tax return or a W-2. However, the income cap that the SSA created changes based on the number of adults in the household that are working full time. A single parent must earn no more than $3,689 per month as of 2023 to qualify for SSI for a child. But a couple must earn no more than $4,329 in order for their child to qualify for SSI if they are both working.

Asset Limits For SSI

There are also restrictions on what assets a person can have to qualify for SSI. A single person applying for SSI can’t have more than $2,000 in assets, while a married couple can’t have more than $3,000 in assets. Things like a home and a car don’t count towards the asset limit. The asset limit applies to things like bank accounts, bonds, cash, stocks, and investment or vacation real estate.

Citizenship and Residency Requirements

The Social Security Administration has citizenship and residency requirements for Supplemental Security Income as well. To be eligible for SSI for yourself or to receive benefits for your child you must:

• be either a U.S. citizen or national, or a noncitizen in one of the certain alien classifications granted by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS);
• reside in one of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, or the Northern Mariana Islands; and
• not be absent from the U.S. for a full calendar month or 30 or more consecutive days.

Age, Disability, and Blindness Criteria

You must also meet one of these requirements in order to be eligible for SSI:

• Be 65 years old or older
• Be over 18 and have a qualifying disability
• Be blind
• Be a child with a qualifying disability
• Be a child that is blind

Applying For SSI

If you want to apply for SSI for yourself or for a child or if you are helping someone that is blind or disabled apply for SSI you must start the application process on the SSA’s website.

Through the website you can submit your:

• Name
• Date of Birth
• Social Security Number
• Mailing Address
• Phone Number
• Email Address

And if you are filling out the application for someone else you will need to submit your own name, phone number, and email address.

After you have submitted that information someone from the SSA will contact you, usually within 7-14 days, and help you set up an appointment to finish the application and submit all supporting documents at your local Social Security Administration office. When you go to the appointment you will need to bring proof of income, your medical records, and any other documents that you want to submit to prove that you meet the requirements for SSI.

Benefits of SSI

As of 2023 the full monthly SSI benefit for one single person is $914 for an individual. For a married couple where both qualify for SSI the maximum benefit is $1,371. But SSI is not the only benefit that people can receive. Receiving more than one type of benefit doesn’t disqualify anyone from getting SSI. Often people who are receiving SSI get healthcare from Medicaid or Medicare. And they may also receive SNAP or food assistance benefits.

In some states people can submit their SSI application as an application to the state for food assistance. If they qualify for state and Federal food assistance that will not disqualify them from receiving SSI. Parents that receive SSI for a child may also receive benefits from WIC or other child-focused assistance.

Funding and Administration of SSI

The different types of benefits that are offered by the Social Security Administration are funded in different ways. The funds to pay SSI to low income parents and individuals are drawn from the U.S. Treasury. That means SSI is paid for through personal income taxes as well as corporate taxes and other taxes like sales tax.

SSI is not paid for with funds from the Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) or the Self-Employment Contributions Act (SECA). Social Security disability benefits are paid for in part from those funds because they are paid to people who have worked in the past but can’t work currently because of their medical condition. When people work they pay into those funds so that they can draw on disability benefits if they become unable to work because of an illness or injury.

Disability benefits are different from SSI. Social Security disability benefits, also called SSDI sometimes, are only paid to people who have worked in the past and earned work credits. Work credits, age, and employment history are just some of the factors that can affect whether or not someone is approved for disability benefits. In order to apply for Social Security disability benefits someone must have worked in the past and expect that they will be unable to work for at least 12 months.

But to apply for SSI a person just needs to be over the age of 65 with no income or resources, blind, or be over 18 and unable to work because of a disability. SSI is also paid to the parents of children who are blind or disabled to help pay for the child’s medical expenses.

Criticisms and Issues with SSI

SSI does a lot of good and helps people who really need it, but that doesn’t mean that the program doesn’t have issues. There are several criticisms of the program. One criticism of the program is that the maximum benefit paid is not enough for someone to live on unless they are receiving other services. And with rising food costs and housing costs that’s a valid criticism.

But probably the most commonly cited criticism of SSI is that the income and asset limits mean that people who are receiving SSI are trapped in a cycle of poverty. If an adult with a disability who is between 18-65 wants to work to supplement their SSI and help offset inflation and other expenses they can’t do that without reducing the amount of the benefit they receive which defeats the purpose of working. And it also discourages family members from giving things like investments or stocks which could provide long term stability.

SSI also makes it financially untenable for couples who both qualify individually for SSI to marry because then their benefits would decrease compared to the amount they would receive individually.

Conclusion

SSI is a lifeline for disabled adults who can’t work and for parents of disabled children who need assistance to pay for the extra care that their child needs. Despite the restrictions on income and assets that can cause hardship to some people receiving assistance, the program overall is something that ensures that the most vulnerable people who can’t work because of a disability have some money to pay for things like housing and food. Fill out the Free Case Evaluation to get connected with an attorney who subscribes to the website and may be able to help you apply for SSI.