The 2025 SSI payment amount and how it changes each year

The maximum federal SSI payment in 2025 is $943 per month for an individual and $1,415 per month for a couple. These amounts increase each January based on the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), which the Social Security Administration calculates using inflation data from the previous year. The 2025 increase was 2.5 percent compared to 2024.

Your actual payment may be lower than the maximum. SSI reduces your check based on other income you receive — including wages, pensions, or benefits from other programs — and based on resources you own. The way SSI counts income and resources varies by state, because some states add their own money to the federal payment and set their own rules about what counts against you.

If you receive both SSI and Social Security, your Social Security payment does not reduce your SSI check dollar-for-dollar. SSI has a specific formula: it excludes the first $65 of monthly earnings and half of anything above that, and it excludes the first $20 of most other income. But if you have savings or own property beyond certain limits, SSI will reduce or stop your payment.

Key Takeaways

  • The federal maximum SSI payment for 2025 is $943 per month for one person and $1,415 for a couple, based on a 2.5 percent cost-of-living increase.
  • Your actual payment depends on other income you have, resources you own, and which state you live in, because some states supplement the federal amount.
  • SSI counts income in a specific way: it ignores the first $65 of earnings per month and half of earnings above that, plus the first $20 of other income.
  • The payment amount you receive in January 2025 reflects the inflation adjustment announced in October 2024, and it will change again in January 2026 based on 2025 inflation data.

How the cost-of-living adjustment works

Every January, Social Security announces a new COLA percentage and applies it to both Social Security and SSI payments. The adjustment is based on the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) measured from the third quarter of the previous year through the third quarter of the current year. If inflation was higher, the adjustment is higher; if inflation was lower or prices fell, the adjustment is smaller or zero.

The Social Security Administration announced the 2025 COLA in October 2024. The 2.5 percent increase means that if you received $920 per month in 2024, you would receive $943 in 2025 (the maximum federal amount). The exact increase to your individual payment depends on what you received in the prior year.

You do not have to do anything to receive the increase. SSI payments are adjusted automatically in January. If you are also receiving Social Security, both payments increase on the same schedule.

State supplements and how they affect your payment

Twenty-three states and Washington, D.C. add their own money to the federal SSI payment. These state supplements range from a few dollars per month to over $100, depending on the state and your living situation. If you live in one of these states, your total SSI payment is the federal amount plus the state amount.

State supplements also increase each year, but the timing and percentage vary. Some states tie their increase to the federal COLA; others set their own adjustment based on state budget decisions or state inflation measures. If you live in a state that supplements SSI, your payment notice in January will show both the federal and state portions.

The states that do not supplement SSI are: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. If you live in one of these states, you receive only the federal payment.

How income and resources reduce your SSI payment

SSI is a needs-based program, which means your payment goes down if you have other income or own too many resources. The program uses specific rules to count what you have.

For earned income (wages from work), SSI excludes the first $65 per month, then excludes half of anything you earn above that. So if you earn $200 per month, SSI counts $67.50 as income against your SSI payment ($200 minus $65 equals $135, divided by 2 equals $67.50). If you earn $65 or less, none of it counts.

For unearned income (Social Security, pensions, unemployment, gifts), SSI excludes the first $20 per month from all sources combined. Anything above $20 counts dollar-for-dollar against your SSI payment. If you receive $100 in Social Security and someone gives you $50, SSI counts $130 as income ($100 plus $50 minus $20).

Resources are things you own: cash, bank accounts, vehicles, property. SSI allows you to own up to $2,000 in resources if you are single, or $3,000 if you are married. Anything above those limits makes you ineligible for SSI. Some things do not count as resources, including your home, one vehicle, household goods, and certain items needed for work or medical care.

What happens if you work while receiving SSI

You can work and still receive SSI, but your payment will be reduced based on your earnings. The $65 exclusion and the 50 percent calculation mean that working part-time often leaves you with more total income than SSI alone, even though your SSI payment goes down.

SSI also has a Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) program that lets you set aside income and resources for a specific work goal without losing SSI. If you want to save money for education, training, or starting a business, you can write a PASS plan and exclude those savings from the resource limit. You must work with a Social Security representative to set up a PASS plan, and the plan must be realistic and have a specific end date.

There is also a Student Earned Income Exclusion that excludes more of your earnings if you are under 22 and a full-time student. The exclusion covers the first $8,230 of monthly earnings in 2025 (this amount changes each year), up to a maximum of $35,000 per year.

When your payment changes during the year

Your SSI payment can change at times other than January if your income, resources, or living situation changes. If you start working, get a raise, receive a lump-sum payment, move in with someone, or have a change in household expenses, you must report it to Social Security. The change takes effect in the month after Social Security processes the report.

You are required to report changes within 10 days. If you do not report and Social Security finds out later, you may have to repay the overpayment — money you received but were not supposed to get. If the overpayment was your fault, you can ask for a waiver, but Social Security does not always grant one.

Some changes are reported automatically. If you receive Social Security benefits, changes to your Social Security payment are usually reflected in your SSI payment without you having to call. But changes to your work income, living situation, or resources must be reported by you.

How to find out your specific 2025 payment amount

Your individual SSI payment depends on your state, your other income, and your resources. The easiest way to find out what you will receive is to check your Social Security statement online through my Social Security (create.ssa.gov), call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213, or visit your local Social Security office.

When you contact Social Security, have your Social Security number ready and be prepared to describe any income you receive and any resources you own. If you are unsure whether something counts as income or a resource, ask Social Security directly — the rules are specific and what counts varies by type of income.

If you received an SSI payment in 2024, you should have received a notice in December 2024 or January 2025 showing your new 2025 payment amount. If you did not receive a notice and your payment changed, contact Social Security to confirm the amount.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will my SSI payment increase automatically in January 2025?

Yes. If you receive SSI, your payment increases automatically in January based on the 2.5 percent cost-of-living adjustment. You do not need to do anything. The new amount will appear in your bank account or on your check on the first of the month (or the third if the first falls on a weekend or holiday).

Does my state add money to the federal SSI payment?

It depends on which state you live in. Twenty-three states and Washington, D.C. provide state supplements to SSI. If you live in one of these places, your payment is higher than the federal maximum. Contact your state's SSI program or Social Security to find out the exact amount for your state.

If I earn money from a job, how much will my SSI payment go down?

SSI uses a formula: it ignores the first $65 of your monthly earnings, then counts half of anything above that. So if you earn $200 per month, $67.50 counts against your SSI payment. Your total income (SSI plus wages) is usually higher than SSI alone, even though your SSI check is smaller.

What counts as income that reduces my SSI payment?

Wages, Social Security, pensions, unemployment benefits, and gifts all count as income. SSI excludes the first $65 of earnings and the first $20 of other income per month. Anything above those amounts reduces your SSI payment dollar-for-dollar (or half-dollar for earnings above $65).

Can I have savings and still receive SSI?

You can have up to $2,000 in resources if you are single, or $3,000 if you are married. This includes cash, bank accounts, and most other things you own. Your home and one vehicle do not count. If you have more than the limit, you lose SSI until your resources drop below the limit.