Supplemental Security Income

The federal Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program provides monthly cash benefits to people with very low income and assets who are age 65 or older, are blind, or have a disability. SSI recipients often are eligible for other important means-tested programs. These include Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

The maximum annual federal SSI benefit amounts are updated yearly for inflation. In 2024, they were $11,316 for an individual and $16,980 for a couple. SSI benefits alone are not enough to keep recipients out of poverty. Federal guidelines set the poverty level at $15,060 and $20,440, respectively, for 2024. Most states provide additional cash benefits to supplement the federal SSI payment.

In 2024, around 7.4 million people received SSI benefits each month. Of that total, about 2.4 million were people age 65 or older. Nonetheless, many who are eligible for SSI may not be getting the benefits to which they are entitled. The two main reasons appear to be a lack of effective outreach and challenges with the application process.

Some SSI rules can create financial hardship for caregivers. For example, SSI benefits may be reduced by one-third if a beneficiary lives in another person’s household and does not pay for their shelter. Such assistance is considered in-kind support and maintenance.

Other SSI rules are outdated. As a result, they have become increasingly stringent. SSI asset limits have not been updated since the late 1980s. These limits restrict the value of assets for recipients to $2,000 for individuals and $3,000 for couples. The unearned and earned income exclusions haven’t been updated since 1972. The Social Security Administration (SSA) exempts the first $20 per month of unearned income, including Social Security retirement benefits and pension benefits. Any unearned income received above that amount is subtracted from the recipient’s SSI benefits. SSA also exempts the first $65 per month of earnings. For every dollar earned above that amount, SSA reduces the recipient’s benefits by fifty cents.

American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) people face a unique issue regarding their benefits. In 2014, the federal tax code was amended to exclude Indian General Welfare Benefits that meet certain requirements from gross income. Consequently, the Social Security Administration stated that these benefits also should be excluded from income for purposes of SSI. However, the Social Security Act has not been updated to reflect this. As a result, Indian General Welfare Benefits may incorrectly be categorized as income, affecting AI/AN people’s eligibility and benefit amounts.

SSI, which is administered by the Social Security Administration, is funded by general revenue.