Supplemental Security Income is a needs-based program for disabled people with limited income and resources — generally under $2,000 for an individual and $3,000 for a couple. No work history is required. Our Cape Coral, FL attorneys review eligibility before you apply. Call 1-800-572-3753 or compare SSDI representation.
What Is SSI, and Who Is It For?
SSI exists for people who are disabled, blind or aged 65 and over, and who have very little income or savings. Unlike SSDI, it does not depend on having worked and paid into Social Security.
That makes it the route for people who became disabled young, worked intermittently, or worked in jobs that did not generate enough credits. It also covers disabled children in low-income households.
The Two Tests You Must Pass
The medical test is identical to SSDI: a condition preventing substantial work, expected to last at least 12 months or result in death. For blind applicants, separate rules apply.
The financial test is where SSI claims are most often lost. Countable resources must generally stay under $2,000 for an individual or $3,000 for a couple, and income is limited too.
What Counts as a Resource for SSI?
Not everything you own is counted. Generally excluded are:
- The home you live in, regardless of value
- One vehicle, if used for transportation by you or your household
- Household goods and personal effects
- Burial funds up to certain limits
- Property essential to self-support
Counted resources include cash, bank accounts, stocks, bonds, land other than your home, and additional vehicles. Applicants regularly disqualify themselves by holding savings just above the limit without realizing it.
Income Reduces Your Payment
SSI pays a fixed federal amount, and most income you receive reduces it. Earned income is treated more favorably than unearned income, since part of what you earn is disregarded.
Support from family also counts. If someone else pays your rent or gives you free housing and food, Social Security may treat that as in-kind support and maintenance and reduce your payment accordingly — a rule that surprises nearly everyone.
Deeming for Children and Couples
Where an applicant is a child, part of the parents’ income and resources is deemed available to them. The same applies between spouses.
This is why families with a genuinely disabled child are sometimes denied on purely financial grounds, and why understanding the deeming rules before applying prevents wasted months.
Can You Receive SSI and SSDI Together?
Yes. Where an SSDI payment is low, SSI can top it up. This is called a concurrent claim, and it is common for people with limited work histories.
Qualifying for one, both or neither depends on details worth checking before you file.
Talk to a Cape Coral Disability Attorney
Free consultation, and fees only from approved back-pay. Call (239) 549-6689 or contact our office.
See also our main Social Security Disability page, benefits for the blind, or learn more about our firm.
