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A Desktop Guide To SSI Eligibility Requirements
Supplemental
Security Income (SSI) is a federal program that makes monthly
payments to people who have limited income and resources if they are
65 or older or if they are blind or have another disability. Being
eligible for SSI means you receive a monthly benefit and, depending on the state where you live, the following benefits and services:
Medicaid
Food stamps
Medicare premiums are paid (all states)
Other social services
The following chart describes the basic eligibility requirements for
SSI. The back of this chart provides additional information about
benefits provided by the states. If you know someone who may be
eligible, please contact a Social Security office right
away.
Requirement |
Definition |
Exceptions/Exclusions
|
|
65 or older, blind, or disabled
Blind
Disabled
|
Meet only one of these:
corrected vision of 20/200 or less in better eye
field of vision less than 20 degrees
physical or mental impairment that keeps a person from performing
any "substantial" work and is expected to last 12 months or result in
death<
a child's impairment must result in "marked and severe functional limitations"
and must be expected to last 12 months or result in death.
|
Person
whose visual impairment is not severe enough to be
considered blind may qualify under the non-blind disability
rules:
a job that pays $500 per month ($1,050 if blind) is
generally considered "substantial" work
special work incentives allow some income and resources to be
excluded and permit payment of special cash benefits or
continuation of Medicaid coverage even when a blind or
disabled person is working
|
|
Limited Income* |
Countable Income Must Be:
Below $494 a month for single adult or childk
Below $741 a month for couple
(In states that pay SSI supplements, countable income can be
higher; see list on back) |
Not all income counts. Some exclusions are:
$20 per month of most income
$65 per month of wages and one-half of wages over $65
food stamps
home energy/housing assistance
|
|
Limited Resources*
(Property and other assets a person owns)
|
$2,000 for single adult or child
$3,000 for couple (limit applies even if only one member is eligible)
|
Not
all resources count. Some exclusions are:
the home a person lives in
a car, depending on use or value
burial plots for individual and immediate family
burial funds up to $1,500
life insurance with face value of $1,500 or less
|
|
Citizenship/Residence**
|
resides
in one of the 50 states, Washington, D.C. or the Northern
Mariana Islands; and
U.S. citizen or national; or
certain American Indians; or
lawful permanent resident with 40 work credits; or
certain noncitizens with a military service connection; or
certain refugee or asylee-type noncitizens during first seven
years; or
certain noncitizens in the U.S. or receiving SSI on August
22,1996.
|
Exception to residence:
certain
children of U.S. armed forces personnel stationed
abroad
|
|
*If only one member of a couple is eligible, the income and resources of both are considered in determining eligibility. If a child under 18 is living with parents, the parents' income and resources are considered.
**If a noncitizen has a sponsor who signed a legally unenforceable affidavit of support (INS form I-134), the sponsor's income and resources
are considered in determining eligibility and payment amount for three years following the date of lawful admission. (This rule does not apply to noncitizens who become blind or disabled after legal admission for permanent residence or to noncitizens who are not lawful permanent residents.)
If the sponsor signed the new legally enforceable addidavit of
support (INS Form-I864), the sponsor's income and resources
are considered until the noncitizen acquires 40 work credits
or becomes a citizen. (This rule applies to
noncitizens who become blind or disabled after admission for
permanent residence and to noncitizens who are not
lawful permanent residents.)
States With
State-Administered Supplements—States in this category provide
and administer supplemental payments to certain categories of SSI
recipients. Application for the supplement must be made separately
with the state agency. |
|
State |
Medicaid |
IAR(4) |
State |
Medicaid |
IAR |
|
Alabama |
1 |
N |
Missouri |
3 |
Y |
Alaska |
2 |
Y |
Nebraska |
2 |
Y |
Arizona |
1 |
Y |
New Hampshire |
3 |
Y |
Colorado |
1
| Y |
New Mexico |
1 |
N |
Connecticut |
3 |
Y |
North Carolina |
1 |
Y |
Florida |
1 |
Y |
North Dakota
|
3 |
N |
Idaho |
2 |
N |
Ohio |
3 |
Y |
Illinois |
3 |
Y |
Oklahoma |
3 |
N |
Indiana |
3 |
Y |
Oregon |
2 |
Y |
Kentucky |
1 |
Y |
South Carolina |
1 |
N |
Louisiana |
1 |
N |
South Dakota |
1 |
N |
Maine |
1 |
Y |
Virginia |
3 |
Y |
Maryland |
1 |
Y |
Wisconsin |
1 |
Y |
Minnesota |
3 |
Y |
Wyoming |
1 |
N |
States With No Supplement—States
in this category do not supplement federal SSI payments. |
Arkansas |
1 |
Y |
N. Mariana Islands |
2 |
N |
Georgia
| 1 |
Y |
Tennessee |
1 |
Y |
Kansas |
2 |
Y |
Texas |
1 |
N |
Mississippi |
1 |
N |
West Virginia |
1 |
N |
*Supplements available only to persons in protective care arrangements
- 1—Generally, SSI recipients automatically receive Medicaid.
- 2—Generally SSI recipients are eligible for Medicaid but must apply separatelywith state.
- 3—State takes Medicaid application and determines eligibility using more restrictive criteria.
- 4—IAR (Interim Assistance Reimbursement Agreement) Coding:
- Y = State provides assistance while SSI application is pending.
- N = State may or may not provide assistance: no active IAR agreement.
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