Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a federal program run by the Social Security Administration that helps people who are hard up financially. SSI was created in January 1974 to replace and consolidate three similar assistance programs. It provides relief to those who are blind, disabled, or age 65 and older and have minimal income and resources.
SSI is available for individuals who don’t earn more than $2,019 from work each month. (The cap increases if you’re married or applying for your child or children, or decreases if you’re disabled. ) The rules for qualifying for this assistance can be complex.
Are you wondering if you make too much money to get SSI? I know how hard it can be to understand the rules! I’ve spent a lot of time researching this subject, so I’m excited to tell you everything you need to know about the 2025 SSI income limits.
What is the Income Limit for SSI in 2025?
The short answer is that you can work and make up to about $2,000 a month and still possibly get some SSI benefits in 2025. However, as your income rises, your payment will go down.
The SSI program has strict income limits based on the Federal Benefit Rate (FBR). For 2025, the FBR is:
- $967 per month for individuals
- $1,450 per month for couples
This FBR serves as both the maximum monthly SSI payment AND the base income limit. But here’s where things get tricky – Social Security doesn’t count ALL your income toward this limit.
How the Earned Income Exclusion Works
Good news! When figuring out if you can get SSI, the SSA doesn’t look at all of your work earnings. They use something called the “earned income exclusion. ” Here’s how it works:
- The SSA subtracts $65 from your monthly earnings
- They also subtract an additional $20 (which can apply to any income)
- Then they only count HALF of what remains
Let me show you with some real examples:
Example 1: Making $1,650 per month
- Start with $1,650
- Subtract $65 earned income exclusion = $1,585
- Subtract $20 general income exclusion = $1,565
- Divide by 2 = $782.50 countable income
Since $782. 50 is less than the $967 FBR, this person would get $184 a month from SSI. 50 ($967 – $782. 50).
Example 2: Making $825 per month
- Start with $825
- Subtract $65 earned income exclusion = $760
- Subtract $20 general income exclusion = $740
- Divide by 2 = $370 countable income
This person would get an SSI payment of $597 ($967 – $370).
So, as you can see, making more money does reduce your SSI payment, but you can still get some SSI even with substantial earnings!
What About Income That’s Not From Work?
Here’s where things get a bit less flexible. For “unearned income” (like alimony, veterans benefits, or free food and rent), the SSA basically counts dollar-for-dollar against your SSI after the first $20.
Some types of unearned income that count against your SSI include:
- Alimony payments
- Veterans benefits
- Free food and shelter
- Unemployment benefits
- Pensions
But don’t worry – not everything counts! The SSA ignores some types of income, such as small gifts you don’t receive every month.
Does My Family’s Income Count?
This is an important question, and the answer depends on your situation:
For Children Under 18
If you’re applying for SSI for a child, part of the parents’ income is “deemed” to the child. This means the parents’ income is considered when determining the child’s eligibility.
For Married Adults
Marriage can significantly impact your SSI eligibility. If you’re married, part of your spouse’s income may be “deemed” available to you, even if only you are applying for disability benefits. The good news is that only part of your spouse’s income counts.
The SGA Limit: Another Hurdle for New Applicants
When you first apply for SSI, there’s an additional income test called the “Substantial Gainful Activity” (SGA) limit. In 2025, the SGA limit is:
- $1,620 per month for non-blind individuals
- $2,700 per month for blind individuals
If you’re making more than these amounts when you first apply, Social Security won’t consider you disabled. However, once you start receiving SSI benefits, the SGA limit no longer applies – just the income limit we discussed earlier.
State Supplements Can Change Your Income Limit
Here’s something many people don’t realize – most states add money to the federal SSI payment through “state supplements.” This effectively raises both the payment amount AND the income limit in those states.
Only Arizona, North Dakota, and West Virginia don’t have state supplements. In other states, the supplements range from about $10 to $400 per month.
The amount of your state supplement may depend on:
- Whether you’re single or married
- Your living arrangements (some states pay more if you don’t have a full kitchen)
- Sometimes, only people in nursing homes get supplements
Because of these variables, figuring out your exact income limit can be tricky if you live in a state with supplements.
How Living Arrangements Affect Your SSI
Your living situation can also affect your SSI payment. If you live in someone else’s home and don’t pay your fair share of food and shelter costs, your SSI payment may be reduced by up to $342.33 (in 2025).
My Personal Tips for SSI Recipients
I’ve been researching this topic for years, and here’s what I’ve learned:
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Don’t be afraid to work! Many people think they can’t work at all on SSI, but that’s not true. The earned income exclusion means you can work part-time and still receive benefits.
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Keep good records. Document all your income and expenses related to your disability. This will help if there are ever questions about your eligibility.
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Report changes promptly. You’re required to report changes in income, living arrangements, and other factors that might affect your SSI. Failing to do so could result in overpayments that you’ll have to pay back.
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Ask about work incentives. Programs like Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS) allow you to set aside money for work-related goals without affecting your SSI eligibility.
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Consult with an expert. The rules are complex, and every situation is unique. A Social Security claims representative can help you understand how these rules apply to your specific circumstances.
Special Programs That Can Help
If you’re worried about making too much money for SSI, look into these special programs:
Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS)
This program lets you set aside income and resources for a specific work goal, like education, training, or starting a business. Money set aside in a PASS plan doesn’t count toward your SSI income or asset limits.
Impairment-Related Work Expenses (IRWE)
If you have expenses related to your disability that enable you to work, these can be deducted from your earnings before calculating your SSI payment. Examples include specialized transportation costs or assistive technology.
Blind Work Expenses (BWE)
Blind SSI recipients have additional deductions available for work-related expenses, which can significantly reduce their countable income.
Final Thoughts
So, how much money is too much for SSI? As we’ve seen, there’s no simple answer. It depends on:
- Whether your income comes from work or other sources
- Your marital status
- Where you live
- Your living arrangements
- Special circumstances like participation in work incentive programs
But generally speaking, if you’re earning more than about $2,000 per month from work (or significantly less from unearned income), you may be over the limit for SSI.
Remember, though, that these rules are designed to encourage work. You don’t have to choose between working and receiving benefits – in many cases, you can do both!
Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS)
“Another important program is the Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS),” Bennett says. “It enables SSI beneficiaries to set aside money toward education or job training only. Since PASS funds aren’t counted as income, a person can use them to pay for vocational classes and still be eligible for SSI. ”.
SSI Work Incentives
The Social Security Administration doesn’t discourage recipients from working. It provides several incentive programs for those who do.
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FAQ
What happens if you have more than $2000 in the bank on SSI?
If you have more than $2,000 in your bank account at the beginning of the month, the Social Security Administration (SSA) can lower or suspend your SSI benefits, or if you do it more than once, they can terminate them.
How much money can I make and still get SSI?
Can you have too much money for SSI?
Generally, the more countable income you have, the less your SSI benefit will be. If your countable income is over the allowable limit, you cannot receive SSI benefits. Some of your income may not count as income for the SSI program.
Can SSI see how many bank accounts you have?
Yes, the Social Security Administration (SSA) can and does check how many bank accounts an SSI recipient has, including undisclosed ones, using an automated process called Access to Financial Institutions (AFI).
How much money can you make without affecting SSI?
How much money can you make without it affecting your SSI? You can generally make up to $20 in unearned income and/or up to $65 in earned income per month without your SSI benefits being affected. Once you have countable income above a certain amount, your benefits are reduced based on how much your countable income is.
Can you get SSI if you work too much?
The SSI program has strict limits on the amount of income and assets you can have and be eligible for SSI. You usually qualify if you’re on food stamps or Medicaid. But working can make you ineligible if you make too much. Even then, those who earn less than $2,000 per month can be eligible for a decreased SSI benefit.
How much SSI can I earn a month?
Subtract your countable income from your monthly SSI benefit. When you do these calculations, you’ll find that you can earn up to $1,913 per month in earned income before losing your entire SSI benefit—assuming you have no other countable income coming in. Here’s why:
What are the SSI income limits?
SSI income limits are strict. The cap on income earned from working is $2,019 per individual per month as of 2025. However, the cap is higher if you’re married or you’re applying for your children or child. For disabled individuals, the income threshold is $1,550, which means you’ll need to prove you earned less than that in the month you apply. 3.
How much SSI can I make in 2023?
The amount of money you can make and still get SSI in 2023 varies depending on the kind of income you receive. You can generally make up to $1,913 in earned income this year without your benefits stopping entirely, as long as you have no other sources of countable income including in-kind contributions and other unearned income.
What happens if you earn less than SSI?
Those who earn less than that will receive an SSI payment that’s less than the full amount, because Social Security will deduct the recipient’s countable income from their SSI payment. What Is the SGA Limit for Blind Persons?.