SCIWhat SSI is
SSI is a needs-based federal program for people who are disabled, blind, or 65+ and have very limited income and resources. It does not require any work history. In most states, getting SSI also makes you automatically eligible for Medicaid.
2026 payment amounts
The maximum federal SSI payment in 2026 is $994/month for an individual and $1,491/month for a couple. Many states add a small state supplement on top (varies widely). Your actual check is the federal rate minus your "countable income."
The $2,000 resource limit
To qualify you generally must have under $2,000 in countable resources ($3,000 for a couple). This figure is set in law and has not changed since 1989. But many things don't count:
- The home you live in and the land it's on.
- One vehicle used for transportation.
- Household goods and personal effects.
- Money in an ABLE account, up to $100,000 — exactly why ABLE accounts matter so much for SSI recipients.
- Assets in a properly drafted special needs trust.
How income reduces your check
SSI subtracts your "countable income" from the federal rate, but it ignores a lot first:
- The first $20 of almost any income each month (the general exclusion).
- For wages, the first $65 and then half of the rest.
So after roughly the first $85 of earnings, only about $1 of every $2 you earn reduces your SSI — meaning work generally leaves you better off. In-kind support (someone giving you free food and shelter) can reduce your federal rate by up to one-third. Students under 22 can exclude up to $2,410/mo of earnings (2026).
Medicaid and Section 1619(b)
SSI is the doorway to Medicaid in most states. If you return to work and earn too much for an SSI cash payment, Section 1619(b) usually lets you keep Medicaid until your earnings reach a fairly high state threshold. Don't assume that working ends your health coverage.
Presumptive disability — money sooner
For certain obvious conditions — including total paralysis and spinal cord injury — SSA can pay up to 6 months of SSI before the formal medical decision is made, under "presumptive disability." SSDI has no equivalent. Ask for it if your condition clearly qualifies.
The age-18 redetermination
A child on SSI is re-evaluated under the adult disability rules at age 18, and parents' income stops counting against them — so some young adults who didn't qualify as children do qualify as adults.
Sources: SSA 2026 COLA Fact Sheet, SSA: Understanding SSI — Income, SSA: Section 1619(b).