Social Security Disability counts as income for SSI, and it reduces your monthly payment dollar-for-dollar

If you receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and also receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI), the SSI program counts your SSDI as unearned income. This means SSI subtracts what you get from SSDI from your SSI payment. If your SSDI payment is high enough, you may lose SSI entirely — even though both programs are run by Social Security.

The income limit for SSI in 2024 is $943 per month for an individual (the amount changes each year). If you receive $943 or more in SSDI, you will not receive any SSI payment. If you receive $500 in SSDI, SSI will pay you $443, assuming you have no other income and meet all other SSI rules.

This matters because SSI also provides Medicaid in most states, and losing SSI means losing that coverage. Some people keep a small SSI payment just to hold onto Medicaid may be able to access, even when the cash payment is minimal.

Key Takeaways

  • SSI counts SSDI as income and reduces your SSI payment by the full amount you receive from SSDI each month.
  • If your SSDI payment meets or exceeds the SSI income limit ($943 in 2024), you receive no SSI cash payment.
  • Losing SSI can mean losing Medicaid coverage in your state, which may matter more than the cash payment itself.
  • The SSI income limit increases each January based on cost-of-living adjustments, so your payment may change even if your SSDI does not.
  • Other income — wages, pensions, unemployment benefits — also counts and reduces SSI the same way SSDI does.

How the income calculation actually works

SSI uses a straightforward formula: your payment equals the federal benefit rate (the maximum SSI amount) minus all your countable income. Countable income includes SSDI, wages, pensions, unemployment benefits, and some other sources. Not all income counts — for example, the first $65 of monthly wages and half of wages above that are excluded, but SSDI has no exclusion.

Social Security sends SSI a record of your SSDI payment each month. SSI automatically deducts it from what they would otherwise pay you. You do not have to report it separately, and you cannot choose to decline the SSDI to keep more SSI — if you are receiving SSDI, SSI will count it.

The federal benefit rate for 2024 is $943 per month for an individual and $1,415 for a couple. Some states add a state supplement on top of the federal amount, which raises the income limit in that state. Your state's limit may be higher than the federal number.

When you might receive both SSDI and SSI at the same time

You can receive both programs simultaneously, but only if your SSDI payment is low enough that SSI still has room to pay you. This usually happens when you have a work history but not enough to earn a large SSDI benefit — for example, you worked part-time for several years before becoming disabled.

The combination of SSDI and SSI can give you more total income than SSDI alone, because SSI fills the gap up to the federal benefit rate. If you receive $600 in SSDI, SSI will pay you $343 (in 2024), for a total of $943. This is called "deemed" or "concurrent" benefits.

However, this arrangement is less common than it once was. Most people who may have access to for SSDI receive enough to exceed the SSI limit, so they get SSDI only. People who do not have enough work history to may have access to for SSDI at all receive SSI only.

How other income affects your SSI payment

SSDI is not the only income that reduces SSI. Wages, pensions, unemployment benefits, workers' compensation, and some other sources all count. The rules differ slightly by income type — for instance, wages have an exclusion but SSDI does not — but the result is the same: more income means less SSI.

If you work while on SSI, the first $65 of your monthly earnings are excluded, and half of anything above that is excluded. So if you earn $200 per month, only $67.50 counts as income ($200 minus $65, divided by 2). SSDI has no such exclusion; every dollar of SSDI counts.

Unearned income like pensions and annuities counts dollar-for-dollar with no exclusion, just like SSDI. In-kind support — food or shelter someone gives you for free — also counts, though the rules for calculating its value are complex and vary by situation.

What happens to Medicaid when SSI stops

In most states, SSI recipients automatically receive Medicaid. If your SSI payment drops to zero because your SSDI is too high, you lose SSI and may lose Medicaid at the same time. Some states have separate Medicaid programs for people with disabilities who do not receive SSI, but coverage and rules vary widely.

A few states — called "1619(b) states" — let you keep Medicaid even after your SSI payment ends, as long as you stay disabled and your income stays below a higher threshold. These states are Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia. If you live in one of these states, losing SSI does not automatically mean losing Medicaid.

If you live in a state without this protection and your SSDI is high enough to end your SSI, you should ask Social Security about other Medicaid pathways in your state. Some states have Medicaid for working people with disabilities, or Medicaid for people with specific conditions. The rules are different in each state.

Planning ahead if your SSDI might increase

If you are currently receiving both SSDI and SSI, and you expect your SSDI to increase — for example, because you reach full retirement age and your benefit goes up — you should know what will happen to your SSI. Social Security can tell you the exact amount of your future SSDI payment, and you can calculate what your SSI will be after the increase.

Some people in this situation lose more in SSI than they gain in SSDI, because the SSI reduction is dollar-for-dollar. If your SSDI increases by $100, your SSI decreases by $100, so your total payment stays the same. This is one reason to understand the numbers before a change happens.

If you are concerned about losing Medicaid, contact your state Medicaid office or a disability advocate before the change takes effect. They can tell you whether you will keep coverage under a different program, or whether you should take steps to protect your may be able to access.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

No. You receive SSI only if your SSDI payment is below the SSI income limit and you meet all other SSI rules (age, disability, citizenship, resources). Most people with SSDI receive enough that they do not may have access to for SSI. Social Security will tell you whether you may have access to when you apply for SSDI.

Can I refuse my SSDI to keep more SSI?

No. If you are may have access to to SSDI, SSI will count it as income whether you accept the payment or not. You cannot choose to decline SSDI in order to receive a larger SSI payment. However, you can suspend your SSDI at full retirement age if you wish, which would allow SSI to increase — but this is a complex decision that affects your future benefits, and you should speak with Social Security before doing it.

What if I think Social Security made a mistake in counting my SSDI as income?

Contact your local Social Security office and ask them to review your SSI payment calculation. Bring a copy of your SSDI award letter and your most recent SSI payment notice. If you disagree with their explanation, you can file a written request for reconsideration within 60 days of the notice. A disability advocate or legal aid office can help you understand whether an error occurred.

Does my spouse's SSDI count as income for my SSI?

Yes, if you are married and both receiving benefits. Your spouse's SSDI counts as your income for SSI purposes. The same dollar-for-dollar reduction applies. Couples have a higher SSI income limit ($1,415 in 2024), but both spouses' SSDI payments count toward it.

Will my SSI payment change if the cost-of-living adjustment increases my SSDI?

Yes. When your SSDI increases because of a cost-of-living adjustment, your SSI will decrease by the same amount (unless you have other income changes). Your total payment may stay roughly the same, but the split between SSDI and SSI shifts. The SSI income limit also increases each year, so in some cases you might see a small increase in total payment.