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What Is SSI?

SSI stands for Supplemental Security 

Income. It is a program run by Social 

Security. SSI provides monthly payments to

people who are elderly, blind or disabled and

who have little or no income and assets.

Children, as well as adults, can get payments

because of blindness or disability. To get 

SSI, you must be elderly, blind or disabled:

• Elderly means you are age 65 or older.

• Blind means you are either totally blind 

or have very poor eyesight.

• Disabled means you have a physical or 

mental condition that is expected to last 

at least one year or result in death. Your 

local Social Security office can give you 

more information about the disability 

rules for adults and children.

If you get SSI, you usually can get food 

stamps and Medicaid, too. Medicaid helps 

pay doctor and hospital bills.

Things you own and income

you have

To get SSI, the things you own and income 

you have must be below certain amounts.

Resources you own 

We do not count everything you own 

when deciding if you can get SSI. For 

example, we do not count the home you 

live in and some of your personal belongings. Usually, we do not count your car. 

Resources we count:

• Cash;

• Bank accounts, stocks, U.S. Savings 

Bonds;

• Real estate;

• Life insurance; and

• Personal property.

You may be able to get SSI if your 

resources that we count are no more than:

• $2,000 for one person; and

• $3,000 for a couple.

Income you have

Income is the money you have coming

in such as:

• Earnings (wages, self-employment

earnings);

• Social Security checks;

• Pensions;

• Workers’ compensation payments;

• Interest, dividends, royalties, winnings;

• Unemployment compensation; and

• Gifts (i.e., cash).

Income also includes non-cash items you 

receive such as food, clothing and shelter. 

You can have some income and still get SSI.

Other rules you should know

Before you can get SSI, you must live

in the United States or the Northern 

Mariana Islands and be in one of the

following groups:

• Be a U.S. citizen or national; or

• Be in one of the eligible non-citizen

categories.

Contact your local Social Security office 

for more information about the SSI eligibility rules for non-citizens. Ask for a copy 

of the publication, Supplemental Security 

Income (SSI) For Noncitizens (Publication 

No. 05-11051). 

How you can apply for SSI

Call us at 1-800-772-1213 for an appointment with a Social Security representative 

who will help you apply or visit your local 

Social Security Office. Parents or guardians can apply for blind or disabled children 

under age 18.

What to bring

You should have the following items before 

you apply. Even if you do not have all of the 

things listed, sign up anyway. The people in 

Supplemental Security Income Payments

www.socialsecurity.gov Supplemental Security Income Paymentss
the Social Security office can help you get 

whatever is needed. Please bring:

• Your Social Security card or a record of 

your Social Security number;

• Your birth certificate or other proof of 

your age;

• Information about the home where you 

live, such as your mortgage or your lease 

and landlord’s name;

• Tax return or W-2 forms, payroll slips, 

bank books, insurance policies, car registration, burial fund records and other 

information about your income and the 

things you own;

• If you are signing up for disability, the 

names, addresses and telephone numbers 

of doctors, hospitals and clinics that have 

seen you; and

• Proof of U.S. citizenship or eligible noncitizen status.

You also should bring your checkbook or 

other papers that show your bank, credit 

union or financial institution account 

number so we can have your payments 

deposited directly into your account. Direct 

deposit protects payments from loss, theft 

or mail delay. The money is always on time 

and ready to use without making a trip to 

the bank. Only people who do not have a 

bank account receive checks.

A word about

Social Security benefits

Social Security also pays retirement, 

survivors and disability benefits to people 

who have worked long enough under 

Social Security. For more information 

about these benefits, ask for the publications, Retirement and Survivors Benefits

(Publication No. 05-10700-EN) or Disability 

Benefits (Publication No. 05-10701-EN).

Contacting Social Security

For more information and to find copies of our publications, visit our website at 

www.socialsecurity.gov or call toll-free, 

1-800-772-1213 (for the deaf or hard of hearing, call our TTY number, 1-800-325-0778). 

We can answer specific questions and provide information by automated phone service 24 hours a day.

If you need an interpreter to conduct your 

Social Security business, we will provide 

one free of charge. Interpreter services are 

available whether you talk to us by phone 

or in the Social Security office. Call our 

toll-free number, 1-800-772-1213. If you 

speak a language other than English, press 

1 and stay on the line until a representative 

answers. An interpreter will be contacted 

to help with your call. If your business cannot be completed by phone, we will make 

an appointment for you at a local Social 

Security office and arrange for an interpreter 

to be there at the time of your visit.

We treat all calls confidentially. We also 

want to make sure you receive accurate

and courteous service. That is why we have 

a second Social Security representative 

monitor some telephone calls.

www.socialsecurity.gov

Social Security Administration

SSA Publication No. 05-10702-EN

Supplemental Security Income

 Payments (English)

January 2005