You can receive both SSDI and SSI, but the amount you get from each is reduced based on what you earn from the other

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) are separate programs with different rules, but they are linked in the Social Security system. If you receive SSDI, you can also receive SSI, but your SSI payment will be reduced by the amount of your SSDI benefit. The Social Security Administration (SSA) calls this the "deemed income" rule — your SSDI counts as income when SSI calculates what you should receive.

The practical result: most people who may have access to for both programs end up receiving only SSDI, because the SSDI amount is usually high enough that it pushes them above the SSI income limit. However, some people with very low SSDI benefits can still receive a small SSI payment on top of it. You cannot receive more total money by getting both; you receive whichever combination the SSA determines you are may have access to to under their rules.

Key Takeaways

  • SSDI and SSI are separate programs, but if you receive both, your SSI payment is reduced dollar-for-dollar by your SSDI amount.
  • Most people who may have access to for both programs receive only SSDI because the SSDI benefit exceeds the SSI income limit.
  • You can receive both only if your SSDI benefit is below the SSI federal benefit rate, which is $943 per month in 2024 (amounts vary by state and change yearly).
  • If you are already receiving SSI and then become may have access to to SSDI, the SSA will automatically recalculate your SSI and reduce or stop it.
  • You do not have to choose between the programs — the SSA determines what you receive based on your work history and income.

How the income limit works when you have both

SSI has a strict income limit. In 2024, the federal benefit rate is $943 per month for an individual (this amount changes each year). Any income you have — including SSDI — counts toward that limit. If your total income exceeds the limit, you receive no SSI.

Here is how it works in practice: suppose your SSDI benefit is $800 per month. The SSA counts that $800 as income. The SSI limit is $943. That leaves $143 of "room" before you hit the limit. If you have no other income, the SSA would pay you $143 in SSI. If you earn $50 per month from work, your total income becomes $850, leaving only $93 of SSI. If your SSDI is $950 or higher, you receive no SSI at all.

Some states add their own SSI supplement on top of the federal amount, which raises the income limit slightly in those states. Your state's limit may be higher than the federal rate. Contact your local SSA office or check your state's website to learn your state's specific limit.

When you might may have access to for both programs

You may have access to for SSDI based on your own work history — the taxes you or your employer paid into Social Security while you were working. You may have access to for SSI based on financial need, not work history. So it is possible to have a work record that entitles you to SSDI but still have low enough income to need SSI.

This usually happens when your SSDI benefit is very small. You might have worked only a few years before becoming disabled, so your SSDI is low. Or you might have worked in low-wage jobs, so your benefit calculation is based on lower earnings. In those cases, even after receiving SSDI, your total income may still fall below the SSI limit, and you can receive both.

Another scenario: you are already receiving SSI when you turn 65 or when you become may have access to to SSDI based on a recent work record. The SSA will recalculate your benefits and may shift you to SSDI, SSI, or a combination of both, depending on your circumstances.

What happens when you start receiving SSDI

If you are currently receiving SSI and then become may have access to to SSDI, the SSA will send you a notice explaining your new benefit amount and what you will receive from each program. Your SSI will be reduced or stopped, depending on how much SSDI you receive. This is automatic — you do not have to do anything to trigger the recalculation.

The SSA processes this change in the month you become may have access to to SSDI. Your first SSDI payment usually arrives in the month after you are approved. At the same time, your SSI payment will be adjusted. If your SSDI is high enough, your SSI stops entirely. If your SSDI is below the SSI limit, you will receive a reduced SSI payment.

Keep in mind: SSDI has a waiting period. You must be disabled for five full calendar months before you can receive SSDI. During those five months, if you are receiving SSI, your SSI continues. Once the five-month waiting period ends and SSDI begins, your SSI is recalculated.

How work earnings affect receiving both programs

If you work while receiving SSDI and SSI, your earnings count as income for both programs, but the rules are slightly different. SSDI has a "substantial gainful activity" limit — in 2024, earning more than $1,550 per month (or $2,590 if you are blind) can end your SSDI. SSI has a lower limit: the first $65 per month of earnings is not counted, and then half of earnings above that are counted as income.

This means if you earn $200 per month, SSI counts $67.50 of it as income ($200 minus $65, divided by two). That $67.50 reduces your SSI payment. Your SSDI is not affected by small amounts of work, but if you earn consistently above the substantial gainful activity threshold, your SSDI will stop.

If you are considering work, contact the SSA before you start. They can explain how your specific earnings will affect both your SSDI and SSI. The SSA also has a "work incentive" program that may allow you to work more without losing benefits, depending on your situation.

Applying for both programs at the same time

You do not submit separate applications for SSDI and SSI. When you file for disability with the SSA, you file one application. The SSA reviews your work history and financial situation and determines which program or programs you are may have access to to receive.

If you have a work history, the SSA will evaluate you for SSDI first. If you do not have enough work credits or your SSDI benefit is very low, the SSA will also evaluate you for SSI. You will receive whichever you are may have access to to, or both if you meet the requirements for both.

The application process is the same whether you are seeking one program or both. You can apply online at ssa.gov, by phone at 1-800-772-1213, or in person at your local Social Security office. The SSA will ask about your work history, medical condition, and current income and resources. Based on your answers, they will determine your entitlement.

What to know about SSI resource limits when you have SSDI

SSI has a resource limit: you can own no more than $2,000 in countable resources (or $3,000 if you are married and both spouses receive SSI). SSDI has no resource limit — you can own as much as you want and still receive SSDI. However, if you are receiving both SSDI and SSI, the resource limit applies because you are receiving SSI.

Resources include cash, bank accounts, stocks, and property you own (with some exceptions). Your home and one vehicle are not counted. If your resources exceed the limit, your SSI stops, but your SSDI continues. This is an important distinction: losing SSI because of resources does not affect your SSDI.

If you are receiving both programs and your resources are close to the limit, be careful about large deposits or gifts. A single large deposit could push you over the limit and stop your SSI. The SSA counts resources as of the first day of the month, so timing matters. If you have questions about whether something counts as a resource, ask the SSA before you receive it.

Frequently Asked Questions

If I get SSDI, do I automatically get SSI too?

No. You receive SSI only if your SSDI benefit is low enough that your total income falls below the SSI limit. Most people who receive SSDI do not receive SSI because their SSDI benefit is too high. The SSA will tell you in your approval notice whether you are may have access to to SSI.

Can I switch from SSI to SSDI if I work and earn enough work credits?

Yes. If you are receiving SSI and you work enough to earn sufficient work credits, you can become may have access to to SSDI. The SSA will recalculate your benefits and shift you to SSDI, SSI, or both, depending on your new circumstances. You do not have to do anything — the SSA handles this automatically.

What if I receive SSDI from my own work record and also from my spouse's record?

You can receive SSDI based on your own work record and also as a spouse or ex-spouse on someone else's record. These are separate SSDI benefits and are added together. If your combined SSDI is still below the SSI limit, you can receive SSI on top of both SSDI amounts.

Does receiving both SSDI and SSI affect my Medicare or Medicaid?

SSDI entitles you to Medicare after 24 months of receiving SSDI. SSI entitles you to Medicaid in most states immediately. If you receive both, you are covered by both programs. Your state Medicaid office can tell you which program covers you and what your coverage includes.

What if my SSDI benefit increases — will my SSI go down?

Yes. If your SSDI benefit increases for any reason, your SSI will be reduced by the same amount (or stop entirely if the increase pushes you above the SSI limit). The SSA will send you a new notice showing your adjusted benefits.