You can receive both SSDI and SSI, but the rules are strict and the total amount you get is reduced

Yes, it is possible to receive both Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) at the same time. This situation is called concurrent benefits. However, the Social Security Administration does not simply add the two payments together. Instead, your SSI payment is reduced by the amount you receive from SSDI, minus a small buffer. The result is that most people who may have access to for both programs receive a smaller total payment than they would if they received only one.

The reason for this reduction is that SSI is a needs-based program — it is designed to help people with very low income and resources. SSDI is an earned benefit based on work history. When you receive SSDI, Social Security counts that money as income, which reduces how much SSI you need. Understanding how this offset works is essential if you are considering applying for one or both programs, or if you are already receiving one and wondering whether to pursue the other.

Key Takeaways

  • You can receive both SSDI and SSI, but your SSI payment will be reduced by nearly the full amount of your SSDI payment.
  • The reduction is called the "SSDI offset," and it exists because SSI is a needs-based program that counts other income against your benefit.
  • A small monthly exclusion (currently $65 of unearned income) is not counted, so you keep a tiny portion of the offset.
  • Most people who may have access to for both programs end up with a lower total payment than if they received only SSI, making SSDI the primary benefit in concurrent cases.
  • Your work history determines whether you can receive SSDI; your income and resources determine SSI may be able to access, so the two programs serve different purposes.

How the offset works in practice

When you receive both SSDI and SSI, Social Security uses a formula to calculate your SSI payment. The agency takes your SSDI amount and subtracts it from the maximum SSI payment for your state, with one exception: a monthly exclusion of $65 in unearned income. This $65 is not counted against your SSI, so you keep that much of the offset.

For example, if the maximum SSI payment in your state is $943 per month and you receive $800 in SSDI, Social Security would calculate your SSI as follows: $943 minus $800 plus $65 equals $208. You would receive $800 in SSDI and $208 in SSI, for a total of $1,008. If you received only SSI without SSDI, you would get $943 — less than the concurrent amount in this example, but that is not always the case. The math depends on your specific SSDI amount and your state's SSI maximum.

The $65 exclusion has not changed since 1972, so its real value has shrunk over decades. It provides minimal relief for most people receiving both benefits. The key point is that the offset is automatic — you do not need to do anything to trigger it, and you cannot avoid it by applying in a particular order or timing your applications strategically.

Who ends up receiving both SSDI and SSI

Concurrent benefits are most common among people who worked very little before becoming disabled, or who worked in low-wage jobs. SSDI is based on your earnings record and the taxes you paid into Social Security. If you did not work long enough or did not earn enough, your SSDI payment will be small — sometimes as low as $1 per month. In those cases, you may still may have access to for SSI because your income is low enough, even with the SSDI payment included.

Young people who became disabled before working much, or who worked only part-time, often fall into this group. So do people who took time out of the workforce for caregiving or other reasons. If your SSDI payment is below the SSI maximum for your state, you may receive both. The smaller your SSDI payment, the larger your SSI payment will be (up to the maximum, minus the offset).

It is also possible to start with SSI and later become may be able to access for SSDI if you return to work part-time and earn enough to establish a new work record. In that case, your SSDI payment might eventually exceed your SSI maximum, at which point you would lose SSI may be able to access entirely and receive only SSDI. This is one reason to understand how the offset works — your situation may change over time.

The difference between SSDI and SSI may be able to access

SSDI and SSI use the same medical standard for disability — your condition must prevent you from working for at least 12 months or result in death. However, the non-medical requirements are completely different. SSDI requires a sufficient work history: you must have worked long enough and recently enough to have earned enough Social Security credits. SSI has no work requirement at all.

SSI, on the other hand, has strict income and resource limits. Your monthly income (including SSDI) must be below a certain threshold, and your countable resources must not exceed $2,000 (or $3,000 if you are married and both spouses receive SSI). SSDI has no resource limit and no income limit — you can earn money and still receive SSDI, as long as your earnings do not exceed the Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) threshold, which is about $1,550 per month in 2024 (the amount changes yearly).

This is why someone might receive both: they have enough work history for SSDI but not enough earnings history to receive a large SSDI payment, so they also may have access to for SSI to bring their total income up. Conversely, someone with no work history at all cannot receive SSDI, no matter how disabled they are, but they may receive SSI if they meet the income and resource requirements.

What happens to your benefits if your circumstances change

If you are receiving both SSDI and SSI, several changes could affect your payments. If your SSDI amount increases — for example, because you return to work part-time and earn enough to establish a higher benefit — your SSI payment will decrease by nearly the same amount. If your SSDI amount decreases, your SSI payment may increase. If your SSDI ends for any reason, your SSI payment will increase to the maximum for your state (assuming you still meet the income and resource requirements).

Work is another major factor. If you work and earn above the SGA threshold, your SSDI will stop after a trial work period. Your SSI will continue as long as your total income (including wages) stays below the SSI limit. If you work and earn below SGA, both benefits typically continue, though your SSI may be reduced because wages count as income. The rules for how much you can earn while keeping benefits are complex and vary depending on which program you are on.

Changes in your living situation, marital status, or resources can also affect SSI. If you move in with someone who supports you, your SSI may be reduced. If you receive a gift or inheritance, your resources may exceed the $2,000 limit, making you ineligible for SSI (though SSDI would continue). These changes do not affect SSDI directly, but they can eliminate your SSI may be able to access and reduce your total benefit.

Why you might want to pursue SSDI even if you already receive SSI

If you are currently receiving only SSI and you have a work history, it may be worth exploring whether you could also receive SSDI. This seems counterintuitive because of the offset, but there are reasons it might help. First, SSDI has no resource limit, so if you inherit money or receive a settlement, you can keep it without losing SSDI (though you would lose SSI). Second, SSDI can lead to Medicare coverage after two years, whereas SSI leads to Medicaid. Medicare is often more generous for certain treatments and specialists.

Third, if your SSDI payment is very small, you might still may have access to for SSI, and the combination could be more stable than SSI alone. If your work history improves or you earn enough to establish a higher SSDI benefit in the future, your total payment could increase. Finally, SSDI is not means-tested, so you do not have to report changes in your living situation or worry about resource limits the way you do with SSI.

The decision to pursue SSDI when you are already on SSI should be made with a full understanding of how the offset works and what your likely SSDI payment would be. A Social Security representative can provide a benefit estimate based on your earnings record. Many people find that the combination of SSDI and SSI is worth pursuing, even with the offset, because of the additional protections and flexibility SSDI provides.

How to learn about you could receive both benefits

The first step is to contact Social Security directly. You can call 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) to speak with a representative, or you can visit your local Social Security office in person. You can also create an account on ssa.gov to view your earnings record and see what SSDI payment you might receive based on your work history.

If you are already receiving SSI and want to know whether you could also receive SSDI, ask Social Security to review your earnings record. If you are already receiving SSDI and want to know whether you could also receive SSI, ask whether your SSDI payment is below the SSI maximum for your state and whether you meet the income and resource requirements for SSI. Social Security can tell you the maximum SSI payment in your state and explain how the offset would work in your specific situation.

You do not need to hire a representative to explore these questions, though some people find it helpful to work with a Social Security advocate or attorney, especially if your case is complex. If you do hire a representative, they must be approved by Social Security, and their fee is limited by law.

Frequently Asked Questions

If I receive both SSDI and SSI, do I get two separate checks?

You may receive two separate payments, or Social Security may combine them into one check, depending on how your account is set up. Either way, the total amount you receive is calculated using the offset formula. The number of checks does not change the total payment.

Can I receive SSDI and SSI if I am married?

Yes, but the rules are more complex. If both spouses are disabled, each can receive their own SSDI and SSI (with the offset applied to each). If only one spouse is disabled, that person can receive both SSDI and SSI. The non-disabled spouse's income and resources may affect the disabled spouse's SSI payment. Ask Social Security how your spouse's situation affects your benefits.

What if my SSDI payment is only $1 per month?

You can still receive SSI. Social Security will count that $1 as income and reduce your SSI payment by $1 (minus the $65 exclusion, which does not apply to such small amounts). You would receive $1 in SSDI and nearly the full SSI maximum. Some people in this situation eventually stop receiving SSDI because the payment is so small, but you should ask Social Security whether it is worth keeping both.

If I go back to work and lose SSDI, will my SSI increase?

Yes. If your SSDI ends because you earned too much, your SSI payment will increase to the maximum for your state (assuming you still meet the income and resource requirements). However, your wages will also count as income for SSI purposes, so your SSI payment may be reduced based on how much you earn. The net effect depends on your wages and your state's SSI maximum.

Does the $65 exclusion apply to SSDI income only, or to all income?

The $65 exclusion applies to unearned income, which includes SSDI, pensions, and other payments that are not wages. If you work and earn wages, there is a separate exclusion for earned income (currently $65 per month plus one-half of remaining earnings). These are two different exclusions, and both may apply if you receive SSDI and work at the same time.