You may be eligible for SSI and Social Security Benefits

by Hillary Hatch
Social Security Public Affairs Specialist

You may be able to get Supplemental Security Income (SSI) even if you already receive Social Security benefits. About 2.5 million adults and children get SSI and Social Security at the same time.

   We pay Social Security benefits to workers and their eligible family members based on the worker’s earnings. SSI is a needs-based program that provides payments to people with little or no income and few resources.

   People younger than 65 must be blind or have a disability and meet SSI income and resource limits, while people 65 and older do not have to have a disability. About 1.4 million people 65 and older receive both SSI and Social Security.

What do we mean by “little or no income”?
In 2025, you may be eligible for SSI if your total income – including your Social Security benefit – is less than $987 per month (the 2025 SSI monthly federal benefit rate plus $20).

   We consider income from all non-work sources, including pensions, veterans’ benefits, unemployment, and Social Security disability, retirement, and survivor benefits. We also count some – but not all – earnings from work, including self-employment.

What do we mean by “few resources”?
Resources are things that you own that you could change to cash and use to support yourself. They include vehicles (if you own more than one) and money in bank accounts, stocks, and bonds. We do not count your home and the land it’s on, as long as you live there. To be eligible for SSI, your resources cannot be worth more than:
• $2,000 for a single person.
• $3,000 for a married couple living together.

For more information visit our blog article at blog.ssa.gov/you-may-be-eligible-for-ssi-and-social-security-benefits.

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