SSI (Supplemental Security Income)

You may qualify for SSI if you meet all of these requirements:

• Age, blindness, or disability: You're 65 or older, legally blind, or have a disability that prevents you from working
• Limited income: Your countable income is below SSI limits
• Limited resources: You have less than $2,000 in countable assets ($3,000 for couples)
• U.S. citizen or qualifying non-citizen
• Reside in the U.S. or Northern Mariana Islands

Children can qualify too. Children under 18 who are blind or disabled and whose families have limited income and resources can receive SSI.

These DON'T count toward the limit (you can keep them):

These DO count: Cash, bank accounts, stocks/bonds, second vehicle, other real estate, life insurance cash value over $1,500.

What if you go over the limit? You're not immediately cut off. SSA gives you time to spend down:

• Over by $1–$499: 6 months
• Over by $500–$999: 9 months
• Over by $1,000+: 12 months

In most states, qualifying for SSI automatically qualifies you for Medicaid. This is one of the most valuable parts of SSI.

States with Automatic Medicaid: In the majority of states, your SSI approval = Medicaid approval. No separate application needed.

209(b) States (separate Medicaid application required): Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Virginia use their own eligibility criteria. You may need to apply separately, but the income limits are often higher than SSI limits.

If approved: Payments typically begin the month after approval. Medicaid enrollment begins in most states. You may receive some back pay to your application date.

Even if you earn too much for SSI cash payments, you can keep your Medicaid coverage under a program called Section 1619(b). This is huge — Medicaid coverage can be worth thousands of dollars per year.

You keep Medicaid as long as:

• You still have a qualifying disability
• You still meet all non-disability SSI requirements
• You need Medicaid to work
• Your earnings are below your state's threshold

State thresholds vary but are typically $30,000–$60,000+ per year — much higher than most people expect.

A PASS lets you set aside income and resources to reach a work goal. The money you set aside doesn't count against your SSI limits.

How PASS Works:

• You write a plan for becoming self-supporting
• The plan must have a specific work goal
• You set aside money each month toward that goal
• SSA doesn't count the set-aside money

PASS Examples: Saving for business equipment, job training/certification, education expenses, tools needed for employment.

You need Social Security's approval before starting a PASS. Contact them to discuss your work goals.

How to Report:

• Call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213
• Visit your local Social Security office
• Use the my Social Security online portal
• Mail or fax a written report

What to Report: When you start or stop working, changes in wages or hours, changes in work duties, any accommodations your employer provides.

Always appeal rather than reapply. Filing a new application means starting over — you lose your original application date and all the potential back pay that comes with it.

The four levels of appeal:

If SSA says you were overpaid, you have options:

• Request a waiver — If the overpayment wasn't your fault and you can't afford to pay it back.
• Request reconsideration — If you disagree with the overpayment amount.
• Set up a payment plan — If you can't pay it all at once.

For a complete guide to handling overpayments, see our SSA Overpayment Guide.

FALSE. Your home is completely exempt from the resource limit, no matter what it's worth. A $500,000 home doesn't count against your $2,000 resource limit.

FALSE. Work incentives protect both your SSI and Medicaid. Only half your earnings above $65 count against your SSI. And even if your SSI cash payment reaches $0, you can keep Medicaid under Section 1619(b) if your earnings are below your state's threshold.

FALSE. Social Security is required by law to help you with your application. They'll help you complete forms, explain what documents you need, request medical records, and arrange medical exams at no cost. You may want a lawyer for appeals, but not for the initial application.

FALSE. Many people who are initially denied are approved on appeal. The appeals process has four levels, and the ALJ hearing level has a particularly high approval rate. Always appeal rather than reapply.