Yes, it’s possible to receive SSI and SSDI simultaneously. This is known as receiving concurrent benefits. However, the vast majority of people will not qualify to receive SSI and SSDI simultaneously because the programs have different purposes and eligibility requirements.
Supplemental Security Income, or SSI, is designed for people with limited to no income who may have never held a job, while Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, is designed for people with a sufficient work history to have paid enough into the program. Therefore, you can receive SSI and SSDI at the same time only if you qualify for SSDI benefits but still have a household income below the maximum threshold for SSI.
Different Eligibility Requirements for SSI and SSDI
SSI and SSDI are both payments designed to guarantee people with disabilities sufficient income to live on. However, the programs are separate from one another and have significantly different eligibility criteria.
SSDI provides benefits to people with sufficient work histories who can no longer work because of a disabling condition. It is similar to an insurance policy that workers pay for with payroll taxes deducted from their paychecks. To qualify, an applicant must have a condition that meets Social Security’s criteria for a disability and have earned sufficient work credits based on the taxes paid into the system.
Monthly payments are determined based on an adjusted average of your monthly earnings while you were working and paying Social Security taxes. This figure is determined using up to 35 years of work history. You are ineligible to receive the benefit if you do not have sufficient work credits.
On the other hand, SSI is a needs-based program for those with limited to no income. To qualify, you must either have a disability that prevents you from working or be over 65. The disability criteria are the same for SSI and SSDI. However, financial eligibility is based on the household’s income and assets.
An individual living alone must earn less than $1,971 per month from a job or less than $963 per month from non-work sources, such as unemployment. Married couples in which both partners are receiving SSI must earn less than $2,915 per month from both partners’ employment or less than $1,435 per month from non-work sources. This threshold may vary slightly depending on your state.
A single recipient may have up to $2,000 in assets to their name at a given time, and a couple may have up to $3,000.
How Much Do SSI and SSDI Pay Together?
To receive both SSI and SSDI, you cannot receive an SSDI payment that exceeds the maximum qualifying income for SSI. Because the Social Security Administration does not count the first $20 earned each month toward SSI recipients’ income calculations, an SSDI recipient’s income cannot exceed the SSI threshold by more than $20. If it does, you won’t be able to receive SSI at all.
If you receive both SSI and SSDI, your monthly SSDI benefit will be deducted from the maximum possible SSI benefit rather than paid out in addition. For example, if you receive a $500 monthly SSDI benefit, the Social Security Administration will subtract $500 from the maximum possible payment, $963. Thus, you will receive $463 per month in SSI benefits.
In total, you cannot receive more than the maximum SSI benefit from a combination of both SSI and SSDI payments.
Situations Where You May Qualify for Both
Situations in which you may qualify for both SSI and SSDI are rare, but they do exist.
Many people with disabilities were underemployed before receiving disability benefits. If this is the case, your SSDI payment might be low due to limited hours or opportunities for employment. You may also be eligible for both programs if you worked full-time at a job that did not pay well.
People who became disabled at a young age may also be eligible for both SSI and SSDI. Suppose you entered the workforce as a non-disabled young adult but became disabled shortly after starting your career. In that case, you may not have accrued sufficient Social Security work credits to receive a higher SSDI benefit. Thus, you may be eligible to receive both SSI and SSDI simply because you have never built enough work history to receive a higher SSDI benefit.
Benefits of Receiving SSI in Addition to SSDI
Receiving SSI in addition to SSDI can be beneficial if your SSDI payment is minimal. The additional benefit can supplement your SSDI income, potentially giving you a sorely needed financial boost.
Additionally, SSDI has a mandatory five-month waiting period between your “established onset date,” or EOD, and the time you can begin to receive benefits. This waiting period is designed to prove that your disability is persistent and leaves you legitimately unable to work. However, SSI has no waiting period for benefits, so you can begin receiving payments immediately upon approval. Immediate payments can provide a helpful stopgap for those waiting for SSDI benefits to become available.
Medicaid and Medicare Benefits for SSI and SSDI
SSI recipients receive Medicaid benefits more quickly than SSDI recipients, which can be particularly helpful for SSDI beneficiaries who have recently lost health insurance benefits from their former employer. SSI recipients automatically receive Medicaid in most states. SSDI recipients do not become eligible for Medicare until they have received SSDI payments for 24 months. SSDI recipients might be eligible to apply directly for Medicaid insurance through a “buy-in” or “spend-down” program. However, SSDI recipients must apply for Medicaid separately rather than receiving it as soon as they are approved.
Back Pay for SSI and SSDI
You will receive back pay for both SSI and SSDI once you’re approved for both benefits. For SSI, if you are owed more than three times the maximum monthly benefit—$2,829 in 2024—your back pay will be paid in three separate installments, no more than six months apart. Back pay ends one month before monthly benefits start and covers only the months between your original application date and your approval.
For SSDI, you can be eligible not only for back pay between the date of your application and your approval but also for up to 12 months of retroactive payments dating back to five months after you originally became disabled. SSDI back pay is paid as a lump sum with your first benefits check.
Applying To Receive Both SSI and SSDI
You can apply for SSI and SSDI online via the Social Security Administration’s website. You can also apply by phone at 800-772-1213 or in person at your nearest SSA office, where an agent will assist you.
If you qualify for a concurrent claim, the SSA will process the claims for both programs and determine whether you qualify. The SSA will assess your condition under both programs using the same disability criteria.
Need Help Applying for SSI and SSDI? Questions About Whether You Qualify?
Getting approved for disability benefits can be challenging, and it’s even more difficult when you’re trying to qualify for two types of benefits simultaneously. Disability Advice can connect you with experienced disability advocates who know the ins and outs of the disability application process. They can help you with your application from beginning to end, whether you need help filing for the first time or are appealing a previous denial.
Contact us today through our website to see if we can help.
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