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Updated February 20, 2020
Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
Overview
any kind of substantial work that exists in the national
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a needs-based
economy, taking into account their age, education, and
public assistance program administered by the Social
work experience.
Security Administration (SSA) that provides monthly cash
benefits to the aged, blind, and disabled. The program is
Children under age 18 are considered disabled if they have
intended to provide a minimum level of income to adults
a medically determinable physical or mental impairment
who have difficulty meeting their basic living expenses due
that results in marked and severe functional limitations and
to age or disability and who have little or no Social Security
is expected to last for at least one year or to result in death.
or other income. It is also designed to supplement the
Children typically qualify as disabled if they have severe
support and maintenance of needy children with severe
impairments that limit their ability to engage in age-
disabilities. SSI is commonly known as a program of “last
appropriate childhood activities at home, in childcare, at
resort” because claimants must first apply for most other
school, or in the community. In addition, their earnings
benefits for which they may be eligible; cash assistance is
must not exceed the SGA limit.
awarded only to those whose income and resources (if any)
are within prescribed limits. In January 2020, SSI provided
Financial Requirements
federally administered payments to 8.0 million recipients,
To be financially eligible for SSI, a person’s countable
including 1.1 million children under 18 years old, 4.6
income and resources—gross income and resources minus
million adults aged 18-64, and 2.3 million seniors aged 65
all applicable exclusions—must be within certain limits.
or older (Figure 1).
The limit for countable income is equal to the federal
Figure 1. SSI Recipients, by Age Group, January 2020
benefit rate (FBR), which is the maximum monthly SSI
payment available under the program. In 2020, the FBR is
$783 per month for an individual and $1,175 per month for
a couple if both members are SSI eligible. The FBR is
adjusted annually for inflation by the same cost-of-living
adjustment (COLA) applied to Social Security benefits.
Countable income is subtracted from the FBR in
determining SSI eligibility and the payment amount.
SSI counts most types of income, including support and
maintenance furnished in cash or in kind. The income of
certain ineligible family members (such as a spouse or
parent) may be deemed available to meet the needs of the
SSI recipient, and as such, may be included in the
recipient’s countable income. The program excludes certain
Source: SSA, “Monthly Statistical Snapshot, January 2020,” Table 3.
income in determining SSI eligibility and the payment
amount, such as the first $20 per month of any income
Eligibility Requirements
(earned or unearned) and the first $65 per month of earned
To qualify for SSI, a person must (1) be aged, blind, or
income plus one-half of any earned income above $65.
disabled as defined in federal law; (2) have limited income
Unearned income refers to income not derived from current
work, such as Social Security, veterans’ benefits, interest
and resources; and (3) meet certain other requirements.
income, and cash from friends or relatives. Earned income
Categorical Requirements
includes wages, net earnings from self-employment, and
The term aged refers to individuals aged 65 or older. The
other compensation related to work. Certain in-kind support
term blind refers to individuals of any age who have 20/200
is also excluded, such as food and housing assistance.
or less vision in the better eye with the use of a correcting
lens or tunnel vision of 20 degrees or less.
The limit for countable resources is $2,000 for an individual
and $3,000 for a couple. Resources are cash or other liquid
Adults aged 18 or older are considered disabled if they are
assets or any real or personal property that a person owns
unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity (SGA)
and could convert to cash to be used for his or her support
due to any medically determinable physical or mental
and maintenance. Resources include bank savings and
impairment that is expected to last for at least one year or to
checking accounts, stocks, bonds, IRA and 401(k) plans
result in death. In 2020, the SGA earnings limit is $1,260
under certain conditions, and certain types of trusts. The
per month. Adults generally qualify as disabled if their
resources of ineligible family members may be deemed
impairments are of such severity that they are unable to do
available to the SSI recipient and counted against the
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Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
applicable resource limit. Certain resources are not counted
whereas related administrative costs are considered
in determining SSI eligibility, such as a person’s primary
discretionary spending. Total spending on SSI in FY2019
residence, household goods and personal effects, one
was $60.3 billion, with $55.9 billion for benefits and $4.5
vehicle, and property essential to self-support. The resource
billion for administrative and other costs.
limits are not adjusted for inflation and have remained at
their current levels since 1989.
Program Integrity
SSA conducts several types of reviews to assess continuing
Other Requirements
eligibility for SSI. Continuing disability reviews (CDRs) are
To qualify for SSI, a person must (1) reside in one of the 50
periodic medical reviews of blind or disabled recipients to
states, the District of Columbia, or the Northern Mariana
determine if they continue to meet the statutory definition
Islands and (2) be a U.S. citizen or a noncitizen who meets
of blindness or disability. Blind or disabled recipients
a qualified alien category and certain other conditions. (SSI
whose medical condition may improve are scheduled for a
is not available in Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands, or
CDR at least once every three years and those with the most
American Samoa.) Individuals who are outside of the
severe conditions are scheduled at least once every five to
country (as defined above) for 30 consecutive days or more
seven years. Child SSI recipients undergo a special
are ineligible for SSI. Residents of public institutions (such
reevaluation at age 18 to determine if they meet the adult
as jails or prisons) are generally ineligible for SSI, except
standard of disability. SSA also performs redeterminations
for situations involving certain medical facilities.
of non-medical factors (i.e., income, resources, and living
Additional requirements related to filing for other benefits
arrangements) to verify that a recipient is still financially
and fugitive felon status also apply.
eligible for SSI and is receiving the correct payment
amount. Redeterminations are conducted on a periodic basis
Cash and Medical Benefits
or when a recipient’s circumstances change.
In January 2020, the average federally administered SSI
payment was $575 (Table 1). Benefits are generally lower
Relationship Between SSI and Social
for seniors because some of them also receive Social
Security
Security, which reduces their SSI payment. Benefits for
Although SSA administers both programs, SSI is not part of
children are typically higher because they often do not have
Social Security. SSI is a public assistance program based on
income of their own. Some states use their own funds to
need, whereas Social Security is a social insurance program
supplement the federal SSI payment to provide a higher
that provides benefits to insured workers who worked for a
overall benefit level than is prescribed in federal law.
sufficient number of years in jobs covered by Social
Security and to their eligible family members. However,
Table 1. SSI Payments, by Age Group, January 2020
one of SSI’s goals is to supplement the income of
individuals who have low levels of Social Security and
Average
Total Monthly
other income. In December 2018, one-third of SSI
Monthly
Payments
recipients also received Social Security, including more
Category
Payment
(in millions)
than half of those recipients aged 65 or older (Figure 2).
Total
$575
$4,819
Figure 2. Share of SSI Recipients with Other Income,
by Type of Income and Age Group, December 2018
Under Age 18
$680
$790
Aged 18-64
$603
$2,958
Aged 65+
$466
$1,071
Source: SSA, “Monthly Statistical Snapshot, January 2020,” Table 3.
In most states, SSI recipients are automatically eligible for
Medicaid, which is a joint federal-state program that
finances the delivery of primary and acute medical services,
as well as long-term services and supports (LTSS), to
certain needy populations. SSI recipients often have
medical conditions that require significant health care
resources. However, many SSI recipients are unable to
work enough to gain health insurance through an employer
or to pay for insurance on their own. Medicaid provides
most SSI recipients with health care coverage, including
some LTSS that private health insurance and Medicare to
Source: SSA, Annual Statistical Supplement, 2019, Table 7.D1.
do not cover.
Notes: Recipients may have more than one type of income. The
share of children with earned income was 0.2%.
Financing
Federal SSI benefits and administrative costs are financed
William R. Morton, Analyst in Income Security
by annual appropriations from general revenues. SSI
benefits are considered mandatory (direct) spending
IF10482
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Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
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