Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is provided to the aged (65 years or older), blind or disabled who are not considered "insured" by the Federal Government but need cash assistance to meet their minimum monthly expenses. Supplemental Security Income is a "needs" based program and is only provided to claimants who have VERY limited income and resources and who meet additional non-economic considerations. You might know this to be supplemental social security insurance, but the proper term is Supplemental Security Income.
Claimants must meet very specific requirements to be eligible for Social Security Disability Income. First you must meet the income and resource requirements which are outlined by the Federal government:
Limited Income requirements from SSA
According to the Social Security Administration you must have limited income. Income can be earned income (wages), unearned income (Social Security benefits, pensions, state disability payments, unemployment benefits, and cash from friends and family), in-kind income (any food or shelter that you receive which is less than the fair market value), or deemed income (income from your spouse or parents).
Not all types of income are counted as "income" for the SSI program, but in general, the more income you receive the less Supplemental Social Security Income benefits will be paid to you. If your countable income is higher than the amount allowed, you will not qualify for Supplemental Security Income payments.
2012 Limited Resources
To qualify for Supplemental Security Income, you must also have limited resources. The Social Security Administration considers resources as things you own such as: land, vehicles, personal property, bank accounts, United States' Savings Bonds, life insurance, and cash. The current limit for 2012 is $2000 per individual and $3000 per couple.
Not all resources are counted by the Social Security Administration. Currently, the SSA exempts the following resources:
Non-economic Eligibility Requirements for Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
In addition to the economic eligibility requirements listed above, you must also meet the non-economic requirements to receive Supplemental Security Income. SSI will only be awarded to you if you are one of the following:
Additionally, you must be a United States citizen or national or be included in a certain category of alien.
Who is not eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI)?
SSI payments are based on the Federal Supplemental Security Income payments. Generally these amounts are increased each year according to the cost of living adjustments which are done for Social Security payments.
Cola Adjustments
In 2012 there was a COLA adjustment. In 2012, these payments were $698 per individual and $1048 for an individual who had an eligible spouse.
In 2013 there was another COLA adjustment. In 2013, these payments are $710 per individual and $1066 for an individual who has an eligible spouse.
You may receive more SSI if you live in a state which adds a supplemental state benefit. You also may have your monthly SSI payment reduced based on your countable income. If your countable income is too high for a month, you may not receive your SSI payment for that month.