Can my child's SSI benefits bank account go over the limit if they are receiving back pay?

If your child was approved for SSI and is receiving back pay for their retroactive benefits in in installments, you may wonder whether your child's bank account (or the representative payee account) can be over the $2,000 individual monthly resource limit with the retroactive payments. You don't want your child to lose their benefits due to the account exceeding $2,000.

The good news is that SSI allows for a period of nine months for past-due benefits to be paid, but you may want to set up a dedicated account specifically for the back pay.

One recommendation is to open an ABLE account for your child so that you can put any funds that exceed $2,000 into the ABLE account. You can find more information in our article about ABLE accounts and special needs trusts.