Can I Get Both SSI and SSDI Benefits?
The Social Security Administration (SSA) provides two programs to financially assist people with disabilities. These federal programs, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) are defined by two different sets of eligibility criteria. If you have few resources and limited income but have worked and paid into Social Security in the past, you could get help from both programs.
SSA Screens Applicants for SSI and SSDI EligibilitySSA must first determine if you qualify for one or both federal disability programs based on your personal income, resources and your work history. Then SSA examines your medical condition to determine if it meets SSA’s definition of a disability before eligibility for either program is considered.
SSI EligibilitySupplemental Security Income (SSI) is a needs-based program. Eligibility for benefits is determined by what resources and income you have and where and how you live.
Personal resources cannot be worth more than $2,000 if single and $3,000 if married. Your countable income is calculated from earned and unearned sources and your living arrangement. If your income level is low enough to meet SSA’s eligibility requirements you could get up to $674 as an individual. Eligible couples receive up to $1,011. The more countable income you have the lower your SSI payment will be.
SSDI EligibilitySocial Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is based on work-history earnings. You must have paid into Social Security through FICA taxes. FICA (Federal Insurance Contributions Act) taxes are payroll taxes that are used to fund Social Security and Medicare. You also must have a recent-enough work history.
If you worked 15 years ago, and then stopped, you would not qualify for SSDI. If you are 31 years of age or older, you must have earned five-years-worth (20 quarters) of work credits within the last 10 years to qualify for SSDI. Your cash benefit is calculated from your earnings history. It is the same formula used to calculate Social Security retirement benefits.
Countable Income Affects Your Combined Cash Benefit
Some may think that if they qualify for the maximum benefit for SSI, and also qualify for an SSDI benefit, that they can then get both maximum amounts each month. This is not the case. Combined benefits could give you just a few dollars extra than if you received one or the other. This is because your SSI benefit is based on need and your SSDI benefit will increase your countable income, reducing your “need” and SSI amount.
Let’s assume that you qualify for both SSI and SSDI benefits. Your SSDI disability benefit is calculated from your work history earnings record and is considered unearned income. If this represents your total income (you have no other income sources) SSA will subtract $20 and the difference becomes your countable income. Then SSA subtracts your countable income from the SSI federal benefit rate ($674 for an individual). The difference between the two becomes your SSI cash benefit.
Here is an example:Start $500 Your SSDI monthly cash benefit
Less $20 Not counted
Equals: $480 Countable income
———————————————
Start $674 SSI federal benefit rate
Less $480 Countable income (see above)
Equals $194 SSI Benefit
Your total monthly cash benefit is $500 (SSDI) plus $194 (SSI), or $694. Your total cash benefit is NOT $500 (SSDI) plus $674 (maximum SSI benefit) equals $1,174.The thing to remember is that your SSI monthly benefit is not a locked-in amount. The federal base amount cannot go above $674 for an individual; $1,011 for a couple, but if your total income increases in any month from earned or unearned sources, your SSI benefit amount will be reduced. Your SSDI cash benefit will never change no matter what other income sources come your way, excluding public insurance benefits such as Worker’s Compensation.
What to Expect When You Receive Both SSI and SSDISSI cash benefits fluctuate with your countable income. You will undergo periodic financial reviews of your income and resources to evaluate how much in SSI benefits you can receive each month. Your income level may also disqualify you from receiving Medicaid.
Unlike SSI, your SSDI benefits do not change if your income changes. You can count on your SSDI benefit for as long as you need it. SSA requires periodic reviews of your medical condition and your ability to work but they are months to years in frequency, depending on the severity of your medical condition. Your SSDI benefit will not increase if your disability worsens, but it remains constant regardless of other income sources, excluding public insurance benefits. Two years after receiving SSDI you will be eligible for Medicare.
Get Help Applying for SSI or SSDIThe eligibility rules for SSI and SSDI are very complex. If you need help applying for disability benefits from the Social Security Administration, a Freedom Disability Advocate can evaluate your case and provide the help you need. Contact us at (866)761-5942.
Hello again..thank you for the response. Right now, I am getting 418 from Social Security and 276 from SSI. (I am 63) When I start getting my RR benefits in a couple years, Will I still get my Social Security benefit of 418 (or more-whatever the amount is then) along with the RR? ( I know the SSI will be gone, but I think that I still get my regular Social Security benefit)
ps/I am not the RR employee, but the (div.) wife of the RR emp. Thanks again..Elizabeth Fryer
I am veteran and been getting SSI for over 4 years. Now, my VA disability benefits are being approved. Will I get any kind of back pay from VA since I have been getting SSI, or will the SSI that I have been receiving be deducted from the VA back-time check? My SSI is 704 and I will be getting 1009 per month soon. (I filed for the VA Dis. about 2 years ago)Thank you
One more question concerning RR retirement..Will I be able to draw my Social Security and my RR retirement ? I am divorced from a RR man and entitled for RR ret. when I reach age 66 in a couple years. Thanks for the information.
I have been told I will get 1400.00 total for ssdi and ssi. is this possible? thanks
“Your total monthly cash benefit is $500 (SSDI) plus $194 (SSI), or $694. Your total cash benefit is NOT $500 (SSDI) plus $674 (maximum SSI benefit) equals $1,174.”
Sounded like UN-logic to me. enough to give someone with disability a hernia. made no fracking sense, i despaired of ever understanding the crazy system. but some time later FINALLY i figured out what you meant.
Your total cash benefit is NOT $500 (SSDI) plus $674 (maximum SSI benefit). _period_
I waited 3 years for dbaiislity. I thought that things would be better once I received it, but how wrong I was. Before I paid no medical and got $200.00 in food stamps. Now I pay rent and medical and they lowered my food stamps to $42.00 a month and my medicare only covers 80%, so that means I have still to pay out of pocket. I HAVE(!) to live with my daughter and my grandaughter and where we live it nowhere near meets our needs. We have been on a waiting list for the last 3 years and although we are in the hundreds on the list, it has not moved at all in the last 3 years. We just want to live and be comfortable in this the most wonderful America! PLEASE! MR. PRESIDENT don’t forget the people that this nation is based on. THANK YOU.
well my name is rene i get 681 ssdi will i be able to get ssi too i pay 475 in rent let me know
Rene,
I would recommend contacting the Social Security Administration at 1-800-772-1213. Good luck!
I am also a veteran. I just recently had a stroke sept. of 2012. i receive ssdi as of now.
Guy,
I would recommend calling our sister company Alpha. They will ask you a few questions about your time in the services and determine your eligibility for VA Benefits. I hope you will give them a call at (877) 611-7724.
my husband it totally disabled. he gets ssi, at what point does it switch to ssd??? he has been disabled since July 2011 and did not work 5 of the last 10 years…he is 46…plz send answer to my email
Elizabeth,
I sent an email to you directly.
Hello Elizabeth , with extremely low financial services , i dont understand.i know you have guide lines and i have to respect that.
i dont know if you have my income available to you , but i receive
$ 1570.00 monthly from Social Security , the medication i need has a copay between $ 800.00 to $ 900.00 ( i’ll round it off at $ 850.00 ) i take Enbrel and receive 1 lot of 4 sureclick injections per MONTH and at a critical point for me. my copay specialist is $ 40.00 per month leaves me with approx. $ 200.00 until the 4th wed. of each month. note: i had 3 rheumatologists in 2012. the doctor i had for 6 yrs. moved out of the Cigna Network , new doctor i seen once and i knew something was wrong and in 1 week i received a letter that he was removed from all practice immediately and my third i seen 3 times and things looked up until the end of the 3rd visit when he told me he is not seeing patients any longer. he went into studies ya know what ? im not afraid to say i cried my heart out. i have psoriatic arthritis and had 65% of it on myself.
now ? no doctor , no medication and it’s coming back with a vengeance. sorry for going on but im mentally so tired of this.i read in here that you cannot have both SSI and SSD….then i found out you can depending on your qualifications. thank you so much for reading. Sincerly, don b.
My husband was determined to be total disabled in 2006. He now receives $758.00 in ssdi a month for that disability. Since then he has been diagnosed with severe liver disease, hep c, afib, high blood pressure, bipolar disorder, psycosocial disorder,Hepatic encephalopathy, and has attempted suicide 3 seperate times. I was wanting to know if he already receives ssdi for one disability, is he eligible for ssi for his other disabilities?
Teresa,
It’s possible. I would recommend contacting the Social Security Administration. We are unable to assist your husband at Freedom Disability, but I hope you can find some assistance with SSA. I wish you both the best of luck.
My SSDI is too much therefore I don’t qualify for SSI.Why must social security still evaluate for SSI even though I know I do not qualify. I thought one could waive the SSI eval to speed up the processing of my SSDI which I just received a fully favorable decision on. Thanks.
Jimmy,
SSA files the application just to make sure that even with an SSDI benefit you are not eligible for any supplemental benefit. An SSI application does not affect the processing time for SSDI.
I recently got married and me and my husband both get ssdi benfits. I understand that this will not affect our benfits. is this true?
Juanita,
SSDI is not based on income but individual taxes paid into the system, so a spouses income will not affect the SSDI benefit. It would only be effected if someone were receiving SSI.