You can receive both, but the rules depend on which disability program you're in

You can collect from both Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) at the same time, or you can receive one without the other. The real constraint is not whether you can have both — it is that your total monthly payment from all sources has a ceiling, and SSI has an income limit that SSDI payments count toward. If you are already receiving one, adding the other usually means your SSI payment shrinks rather than grows.

The path forward depends on which program you are currently in and whether you meet the rules of the second one. SSDI is based on your work history; SSI is based on financial need. You cannot receive more than one SSDI payment, but you can receive SSDI plus SSI if your SSDI payment is low enough that you still fall below the SSI income limit.

Key Takeaways

  • SSDI and SSI are separate programs with different rules, and you can hold both at the same time if you meet the requirements for each.
  • If you receive SSDI, your SSI payment (if you are also getting it) will be reduced by the amount of your SSDI check, dollar for dollar.
  • SSI has a monthly income limit (currently $943 for an individual in most states) and a resource limit ($2,000 for an individual), and SSDI counts as income against both.
  • You cannot receive two SSDI payments, but you can receive SSDI based on your own work record plus SSDI as a spouse or child on someone else's record.
  • The Social Security Administration handles both programs, and you report changes to either one to the same office.

How SSDI and SSI work together when you have both

If you are receiving SSDI and then become may be able to access for SSI, Social Security will pay your SSDI first. Then, if your SSDI payment is less than the SSI federal benefit rate, SSI will pay the difference — but only if you also meet SSI's income and resource limits. This is called concurrent receipt.

For example: the SSI federal benefit rate is $943 per month (2024). If your SSDI payment is $600, you could receive an additional $343 in SSI to reach the $943 limit, provided you have no other income and your resources do not exceed $2,000. If your SSDI payment is $1,000, you would not receive any SSI because you are already above the limit.

The income limit for SSI includes not just your SSDI payment but also wages, pensions, and other income. Social Security counts the first $65 of monthly earnings and half of anything above that as income, but SSDI payments are counted dollar for dollar. This means adding SSDI to your situation almost always reduces or eliminates any SSI payment you might have received on your own.

When you can receive two SSDI payments at once

You can receive SSDI based on your own work record and also receive SSDI as a spouse or child on someone else's record. This is different from receiving two separate disability payments — you are receiving one payment based on your own work history and a second payment based on a family member's work history.

To receive SSDI as a spouse, you must be at least 62 years old (or any age if you are caring for a child under 16), and your spouse must be receiving SSDI or have died while insured. To receive SSDI as a child, you must be under 19 (or under 23 if in school full-time), and your parent or grandparent must be receiving SSDI or have died while insured. You can also receive benefits as a surviving spouse or child if your spouse or parent has passed away.

When you receive two SSDI payments, Social Security pays both in full. There is no reduction for having two payments, because both are based on actual work records — yours and the family member's. However, there is a family maximum: the total amount paid to you and all other family members on one person's work record cannot exceed 150 to 180 percent of that person's primary insurance amount. If the family maximum is reached, individual payments are reduced proportionally.

Income and resource limits that affect both programs

SSI has strict limits on how much money you can have and how much you can earn. Your resources cannot exceed $2,000 (or $3,000 if you are married and both spouses receive SSI). Resources include cash, bank accounts, stocks, and property other than your home and one vehicle. SSDI has no resource limit and no income limit — you can earn as much as you want and still receive SSDI, though earnings above a certain level may trigger a work incentive review.

If you are receiving both SSDI and SSI, the SSI income and resource limits are what matter for your SSI payment. Your SSDI payment counts as income for SSI purposes. Your resources must stay under $2,000 regardless of how much SSDI you receive. If your resources go over the limit, you lose SSI may be able to access until they drop back down, but you keep your SSDI.

Some income does not count toward the SSI limit. The first $65 of monthly earnings, plus half of anything above that, is excluded. Certain in-kind support (food or shelter provided by someone else) is also excluded, though the rules are complex. Unearned income like SSDI, pensions, and gifts counts fully. If you are unsure whether a particular income source counts, contact your local Social Security office before receiving it, because overpayments must be repaid.

How to apply for the second program if you are already receiving one

If you are receiving SSDI and want to explore SSI, contact your local Social Security office or call 1-800-772-1213. You do not need to submit a new disability information — Social Security will use the disability decision you already have. What they will review is your income and resources to see if you meet SSI's financial limits. Bring proof of your current income, resources, and living situation.

If you are receiving SSI and want to explore SSDI, you must have a work history that qualifies. SSDI requires that you have worked long enough and recently enough to have earned enough Social Security credits. If you stopped working when you became disabled, you may still have enough credits from your past work. Social Security will review your work record and tell you whether you are insured for SSDI. If you are, they will use your existing disability information rather than requiring a new medical review.

The application process is the same whether you are applying for a second program or a first one: you can apply online at ssa.gov, by phone at 1-800-772-1213, or in person at your local Social Security office. Processing time is typically 3 to 6 months, though it can be longer if Social Security needs additional medical records or information about your work history.

What happens to your payments if circumstances change

If you are receiving both SSDI and SSI and your SSDI payment increases, your SSI payment will decrease by the same amount (or disappear entirely if the SSDI increase is large enough). This is because SSI is a needs-based program — it only pays if your income is below the limit. An increase in SSDI is an increase in income, so SSI adjusts downward.

If your SSDI payment decreases, your SSI payment may increase to keep your total benefit at or near the SSI federal benefit rate. If you earn wages, you must report them to Social Security within 10 days. Wages reduce your SSI payment but do not affect your SSDI payment (though very high earnings can trigger a work incentive review for SSDI).

If your resources increase — for example, you receive an inheritance or a lump-sum payment — you must report it to Social Security. If your resources exceed the SSI limit, you lose SSI may be able to access. Your SSDI is not affected by resources, so you would keep receiving SSDI but lose the SSI portion. Once your resources drop back below the limit, you can regain SSI.

Work incentives and how they apply when you have both programs

SSDI has built-in work incentives that allow you to test your ability to work without immediately losing your benefit. If you earn more than $1,550 per month (2024), Social Security considers you to be working at a substantial level, and your SSDI payment stops. However, you enter a 9-month trial work period during which you can earn any amount and keep your full SSDI payment. After the trial work period ends, you have a 36-month extended may be able to access period during which you can still receive SSDI in any month your earnings fall below the substantial gainful activity level.

SSI does not have a trial work period. If you are receiving SSI and earn wages, your SSI payment is reduced by $1 for every $2 you earn above the first $65 per month. This means earning money reduces your SSI quickly. If you are receiving both SSDI and SSI, the SSDI work incentives apply to your SSDI payment, but your SSI will still be reduced based on your earnings.

Some people find that the SSDI work incentives make it worth trying to work, even if it means losing SSI. Others find that the SSI income reduction makes work not worth the effort. A benefits planning service (free through Work Incentives Planning and Assistance, or WIPA) can help you model what happens to your specific payments if you earn a certain amount.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I receive SSDI from two different jobs I worked?

No. SSDI is based on your Social Security work record, which is a single record for your entire life. You receive one SSDI payment based on your lifetime earnings, not separate payments for different jobs. You can receive a second SSDI payment only if it is based on a family member's work record (as a spouse or child).

What if I was denied for one program — can I still apply for the other?

Yes. SSDI and SSI have different rules. You might not meet the work history requirement for SSDI but still meet the financial need requirement for SSI, or vice versa. A denial for one program does not affect your ability to apply for the other. If you were denied, ask Social Security which program you were denied for and why, then explore the other one.

Do I have to report both programs to other agencies?

If you are receiving SSI, you must report changes to Social Security because SSI has income and resource limits. If you are receiving only SSDI, you do not have to report income changes to Social Security, but you do have to report them to other agencies (like housing assistance or Medicaid) if you receive those benefits. Always check with each program separately about what you need to report.

If I get married, how does that affect receiving both programs?

For SSDI, marriage does not change your payment. For SSI, marriage changes your resource limit (it increases to $3,000 for a couple) and your federal benefit rate (it increases to $1,415 for a couple in 2024). Your spouse's income and resources count toward your SSI limits. You should report the marriage to Social Security within 30 days so they can recalculate your SSI payment.

Can I receive both programs if I am working?

Yes, but your payments will be affected. SSDI allows you to work and keep your full payment during a trial work period, then reduces it if you earn above the substantial gainful activity level. SSI reduces your payment based on earnings immediately. If you are receiving both and start working, contact Social Security to understand how your specific payments will change.