Learn About SSDI and SSI Income Limits

What SSDI and SSI Are: Basic Definitions

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) are two separate federal programs that provide monthly payments to people with disabilities. Although they share similar names and are both administered by the Social Security Administration, they operate under different rules, have different income limits, and serve different groups of people.

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SSDI is an insurance program. Workers who become disabled before retirement age may receive benefits based on their own work history and the taxes they paid into Social Security while employed. When a worker with SSDI reaches full retirement age, their benefit typically converts to a retirement benefit, though the amount remains the same. SSDI also covers certain family members of disabled workers, including spouses and children under age 19 (or 19 if still in high school).

SSI is a needs-based program funded by general tax revenues. It provides monthly payments to people with disabilities, blindness, or who are age 65 or older, but only if their income and resources fall below specific limits. Unlike SSDI, SSI does not require a work history. A person can receive SSI if they have never worked or worked very little.

As of 2024, the average SSDI benefit was approximately $1,550 per month, though individual amounts vary widely based on work history. The average SSI payment was around $943 per month. These amounts adjust annually based on inflation, a process called a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA).

Understanding the difference between these programs matters because they have different income limits, different rules about what counts as income, and different rules about work activity. A person might receive SSDI but not SSI, or vice versa, or in some cases, both programs at once.

Practical Takeaway: Before learning about income limits, determine which program or programs might be relevant to your situation. If you have a substantial work history and became disabled while working, SSDI is likely the focus. If you have limited work history or are concerned about resource limits, SSI rules are important to understand.

How Income Limits Work for SSI

SSI has strict monthly income limits. For 2024, the federal income limit for SSI is $943 per month for an individual and $1,415 for a couple (both receiving SSI). These limits apply to countable income, which means not all income counts toward the limit. Understanding what counts and what doesn't count is essential because it directly affects whether someone can receive SSI and how much they receive.

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The Social Security Administration counts many forms of income toward the SSI limit. Wages from work count, as do net self-employment income, Social Security benefits (including SSDI), pensions, rental income, and interest from savings accounts. However, not every dollar counts. The SSI program allows a $65 monthly income exclusion plus half of remaining earned income. This means if someone works and earns $500 in a month, the first $65 doesn't count, and only half of the remaining $435 counts as income. That's approximately $283 in countable income.

Several types of income do not count toward the SSI limit at all. These include the first $20 per month of most types of unearned income (like gifts or interest), food and shelter provided by a nonprofit organization, food stamps (now called SNAP benefits), housing subsidies, energy assistance programs, and certain educational grants or scholarships. In-kind support and maintenance—meaning food or shelter provided by another person—can reduce the SSI benefit but often by less than the market value of what was provided.

Many people misunderstand SSI income limits because they assume a person must have zero income. This is incorrect. Someone can have substantial income and still receive some SSI benefit, as long as their countable income falls below the limit. For example, a person earning $300 per month in wages would have approximately $232.50 in countable income (after the work incentive deduction), leaving room for additional income before reaching the limit.

State supplements complicate this picture. Some states add money to the federal SSI payment, and these states may have slightly different income limits. California, New York, and several other states have their own SSI supplement programs with rules that vary from federal guidelines.

Practical Takeaway: When calculating whether income falls within SSI limits, don't use gross income—identify which types of income apply, then subtract relevant exclusions and deductions. Using a work incentive such as the earned income exclusion can make a significant difference in whether SSI benefits continue.

SSDI Income Limits and Work Incentives

SSDI has different income rules than SSI, and understanding this difference is critical. SSDI itself has no income limit—a person can have any amount of income and still receive SSDI benefits. However, the program does include rules about how much someone can earn while still being considered disabled under Social Security rules.

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The key threshold is called "substantial gainful activity" (SGA). For 2024, SGA is defined as earning $1,550 per month or more if blind, and $1,470 per month or more if not blind. These amounts change annually. If someone's earnings exceed SGA, Social Security will presume they are no longer disabled and may stop SSDI benefits. However, SGA is about work activity, not simply income—it considers whether earnings show the person can work at a substantial level.

SSDI includes several work incentives designed to allow people to work and earn while keeping their benefits. The trial work period is the most well-known. During a nine-month trial work period, a person can earn any amount without affecting their SSDI benefit. These nine months don't need to be consecutive—they count based on months in which earnings exceed $1,110 (as of 2024). After the trial work period ends, SSDI continues for another 36-month extended eligibility period in which benefits continue as long as earnings stay below SGA.

Other work incentives include impairment-related work expenses (IRWE), which allows deduction of disability-related costs from earnings when calculating SGA; a Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS), which lets beneficiaries set aside income and resources for a specific work goal without affecting benefits; and continued Medicaid or Medicare coverage even after benefits end, in some circumstances. These tools exist specifically because SSDI recognizes that people with disabilities often need to work gradually and may face work-related expenses.

Someone receiving SSDI can also become entitled to SSI if their income and resources fall within SSI limits. This happens occasionally when SSDI benefits are low or when someone has limited resources. In these situations, the person receives both benefits, though SSI is reduced by the SSDI amount.

Practical Takeaway: If receiving SSDI and considering work, understand that earning above SGA is not forbidden—it's simply the point at which Social Security reviews whether disability continues. The trial work period and work incentives exist to allow gradual return to work without immediate benefit loss. Reporting earnings accurately and exploring work incentive programs can prevent unexpected benefit terminations.

Resource Limits and What They Mean

SSI has resource limits in addition to income limits. Resources are things a person owns, such as cash, savings accounts, vehicles, or property. As of 2024, the SSI resource limit is $2,000 for an individual and $3,000 for a couple. If someone's resources exceed these amounts, they are not entitled to SSI. Unlike income (which is evaluated monthly), resources are a snapshot—Social Security counts what someone owns at the beginning of a month.

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Not all resources count toward the limit. A person's primary residence, regardless of value, does not count. One vehicle, used for transportation, typically does not count if it's not worth more than a certain amount. Household goods and personal effects, including items like furniture, clothing, and electronics used in the home, generally do not count. Work incentive accounts (such as PASS accounts or certain savings plans) may not count up to specific limits, allowing someone to save for a work goal.

Retirement accounts and certain disability-related accounts have special treatment. IRAs, 401(k)s, and similar retirement accounts may not count as resources if they cannot be accessed without penalty, depending on the circumstances. This rule encourages people to save for retirement despite SSI limits. Some states also exclude certain burial arrangements or funeral trusts from the resource count.

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