SSI: Monthly cash for people with very limited income.
Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
Monthly federal cash payments for disabled, blind, or 65+ Americans with very limited income and resources, funded by general Treasury (not Social Security payroll taxes).
Reviewed by SubhaVerified
Monthly maximum
$994
Individual in 2026; $1,491 for a couple
From January 2027
$1,029
Individual ($1,544 couple) after the 3.6% COLA, paid from Dec 31, 2026
Disability claims
6 to 8 months
Typical decision time
Where to apply
Social Security
By phone or at an SSA office
Figures on this page were last verified October 18, 2026. Amounts and rules change, so confirm them with Social Security Administration (SSA) before you apply.
What is SSI?
SSI (Supplemental Security Income) is a Social Security Administration cash-benefit program for aged (65+), blind, or disabled Americans with limited income and resources.
Payments are federal, need-based, and separate from Social Security retirement or SSDI, though many recipients qualify for multiple programs at once.
In 2026, the maximum federal SSI benefit is $994 per month for an individual and $1,491 for a couple, following a 2.8 percent cost-of-living adjustment.
After the 3.6 percent COLA for 2027, the maximum rises to $1,029 for an individual and $1,544 for a couple, starting with the payment SSA sends on December 31, 2026.
Countable resources must stay under $2,000 for individuals and $3,000 for couples, though one vehicle, one primary home, and burial funds up to $1,500 are excluded. Countable income is reduced by disregards of $20 general plus $65 earned and half of remaining earnings.
SSI recipients automatically qualify for Medicaid in most states. About 7.3 million Americans received SSI in August 2026, per SSA data. Apply online at ssa.gov/ssi, call 1-800-772-1213, or visit a Social Security office in person.
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a federal cash-assistance program that provides monthly payments to people who are disabled, blind, or age 65 or older, and who have very limited income and resources.
It is administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA), but unlike Social Security retirement or SSDI, it is not funded by payroll taxes. SSI is paid out of the general fund of the U.S. Treasury, so you do not need a work history to qualify.
The maximum federal SSI payment in 2026 is $994 per month for an individual and $1,491 per month for a qualified couple (SSA SSI amount page, updated January 2026). Some states add a state supplement on top of that federal amount.
Social Security announced a 3.6 percent COLA for 2027, so the maximum rises to $1,029 for an individual and $1,544 for a couple. The higher January 2027 amount arrives early, on December 31, 2026, because January 1 is a federal holiday.
About 7.3 million Americans receive SSI, including about 1 million children, 3.8 million adults age 18 to 64, and 2.5 million adults age 65 or older (SSA Monthly Statistical Snapshot, August 2026).
SSI is a means-tested program. Resources (things you own like cash and second vehicles) must stay under $2,000 for an individual or $3,000 for a couple. Your home, one car, most household goods, and burial funds up to $1,500 do not count.
Getting SSI usually opens the door to Medicaid automatically in most states, and often to SNAP food benefits, Extra Help with Medicare drug costs, and utility assistance under LIHEAP.
Who SSI is for: age, blindness or disability
- You must be age 65 or older, blind, or have a medically-determinable disability that prevents substantial work for at least 12 months or is expected to result in death
- If under 65, your monthly earnings from work must be under $1,690 in the month you apply (the Substantial Gainful Activity limit in 2026, rising to $1,770 in 2027; this earnings test does not apply to people who apply based on blindness)
- Countable resources must be under $2,000 for an individual or $3,000 for a couple. Your home, one car, ordinary household goods, and up to $1,500 in burial funds are excluded
- General monthly income cap in 2026 is around $2,073 for an individual working part-time, and it rises with the 2027 payment standard, though the exact cutoff depends on your work vs non-work income and living arrangements
- For children with disabilities, the parents' income and resources are considered under the 'deeming' rules until the child turns 18
- U.S. citizens or 'qualified' noncitizens (certain refugees, asylees, and lawful permanent residents with a qualifying work history or veteran status); most other noncitizens do not qualify
- Must live in the 50 states, DC, or the Northern Mariana Islands, and generally cannot be outside the country for a full calendar month or for 30 days in a row
Only the agency that runs the program can decide eligibility.
Income and savings tests decide most SSI claims. For the 2026 and 2027 dollar figures, see our guide to SSI income and resource limits.
How Social Security sets your SSI payment
Max monthly payment (2026)
$994 individual / $1,491 couple
About 7.3 million people received SSI in August 2026: roughly 1 million children under 18, 3.8 million adults age 18 to 64, and 2.5 million adults age 65 or older (SSA Monthly Statistical Snapshot).
What the amount depends on
The 2026 federal SSI maximum is $994/month for an individual and $1,491/month for a qualified couple (SSA, updated January 26, 2026). From January 2027 it rises to $1,029 and $1,544 (SSA 2027 COLA fact sheet).
Your actual payment can be lower because of income, living situation, and other factors. Work earnings reduce SSI by about $1 for every $2 earned; non-work income (unemployment, pensions) reduces it dollar-for-dollar.
Applying for SSI with Social Security
- 01
Check your eligibility
Use SSA's free eligibility screener at ssa.gov/prepare/check-eligibility-for-benefits, or read the eligibility rules at ssa.gov/ssi/eligibility.
The three requirements are: age 65+ / blind / disabled, low income, and countable resources under $2,000 (individual) or $3,000 (couple).
- 02
Gather your documents
You will need your Social Security number and birth certificate, proof of citizenship or qualifying immigration status, and proof of income (paystubs, tax return, benefit statements).
You will also need proof of resources (bank statements, vehicle titles), proof of living arrangements (lease or utility bill), and medical records if applying based on disability.
- 03
Start the application
Start online at ssa.gov/apply/ssi. The site asks a few questions and tells you whether you can finish online or need an appointment.
You can also call 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. to schedule an appointment, or visit a local Social Security office.
- 04
Complete the interview
SSA staff will walk through the application with you by phone or in person.
If you are applying based on disability, they also open a separate medical determination case with your state's Disability Determination Services agency, which requests records from your doctors and hospitals.
- 05
Wait for the decision
Age-based SSI decisions (65+) usually take 1 to 3 months. Disability-based SSI decisions typically take 6 to 8 months at the initial level. If you are approved, your first payment is retroactive to the first full month after you filed. If you are denied, you have 60 days to request reconsideration.
- 06
Apply for Medicaid at the same time
In 34 states plus DC (called '1634' states), being approved for SSI automatically enrolls you in Medicaid. In 8 states and the Northern Mariana Islands you fill out a separate Medicaid application, and in 8 '209(b)' states the state uses its own rules. In those 16 states, apply through your state's Medicaid office.
Start with the official source
Social Security Administration (SSA)
SSI questions about payments and limits
SSI is a needs-based cash program for disabled, blind, or 65+ people with very low income and resources; no work history required. SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance) pays disabled workers who have paid enough into Social Security through payroll taxes.
About 1.1 million disabled people under 65 get both Social Security and SSI (SSA, August 2026), usually because their Social Security payment is small enough that SSI tops it up.
Your countable resources must stay under $2,000 for an individual or $3,000 for a couple. That cap has not changed since 1989. Your home, one car, ordinary household goods, up to $1,500 in burial funds, and up to $100,000 in an ABLE account do not count.
In 34 states plus DC, yes: approval for SSI automatically enrolls you in Medicaid, with no separate application. In 8 states and the Northern Mariana Islands you have to fill out a separate state Medicaid form.
In 8 '209(b)' states (Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Dakota and Virginia), the state uses its own eligibility rules that can be stricter than SSA's.
Yes, within limits. For every $2 you earn from work above the first $85/month, SSI reduces your payment by about $1. You lose SSI entirely once your countable income exceeds the maximum federal payment ($994/month for an individual in 2026, $1,029 from January 2027) plus your state's supplement.
SSA also runs work incentives like PASS (Plan to Achieve Self-Support) and Ticket to Work that let you keep more of your benefits while trying to work.
If you are applying based on age (65+), SSA usually decides within 1 to 3 months. If you are applying based on disability, initial decisions take 6 to 8 months on average, because your state's Disability Determination Services has to request and review your medical records.
If you are denied and appeal, a hearing decision took about 9 months on average in August 2026 (276 days, per SSA), after the reconsideration step.
Sources & further reading
- SSA: Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- SSA: How much you could get from SSI (2026 amounts)
- SSA: SSI federal payment amounts for 2027
- SSA: Who can get SSI (eligibility rules)
- SSA: Apply for SSI
- SSA Monthly Statistical Snapshot (recipient counts)
- CBPP Policy Basics: Supplemental Security Income
Use official sources to confirm current requirements and benefit amounts.
Reviewed by Subha
Every rule and figure here was checked against the sources above on October 18, 2026. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
Not legal, tax, or financial advice. GrantsHubUSA is an independent editorial site. We are not a government agency and we do not run this program. See our full disclaimer.
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